A bill moving through California's state legislature would give taxpayer-funded "immigrant service providers" the power to demand the removal of videos recorded in public spaces that they don't like — and impose steep financial penalties on them. It's a narrowly tailored punishment on "anti-immigrant" journalists. Republicans call it the "Stop Nick Shirley Act."
California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak is our special guest for all things Golden State, and MRC Free Speech America vice president Dan Schneider joined as well.
The bill is AB 2624 -- sponsored by Assemblywoman Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), the wife of California Attorney General Rob Bonta -- is framed as protection for immigrant service providers against harassment and threats. Where are the Brian Stelters and the First Amendment Alarmists?
A New York Post editorial summarized: “Sacramento’s position, apparently, is that the best answer to allegations of nine-figure fraud is to ridicule the person holding the camera, and then legislate the camera away.”
We’ve noted ABC and NBC haven’t touched the story of rampant fraud by fake hospices in California. CBS has given it like 17 minutes. The Big 4 news apps we follow can’t find it.
The Democrats in California hate stories like this new one from Christopher Rufo at City Journal from San Francisco: “California is giving free sex-change procedures to homeless illegal aliens.” Kamala favored gender affirming care for prisoners, so why not?
This punitive attitude isn't new. In 2015, anti-abortion activist David Daleiden released undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood executives discussing fees for fetal tissue, making jokes about buying fancy cars with the proceeds. California’s response was to prosecute Daleiden. He became the first journalist ever criminally prosecuted under the state’s recording law.
Then there's the abrupt end to Rep. Eric Swalwell of California. The Washington Post tweeted: "Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D) fall left many asking how someone who was dogged by persistent rumors of inappropriate behavior toward women could have risen so high and so fast in a party that says it supports women’s rights." Um, the media's lack of interest is a major part.
The Post story had a subhead: "Allies such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Ruben Gallego say they knew nothing about the misconduct allegations, with Gallego saying the congressman led a 'double life.'” Don't buy it. The Democrats must have been worried about oh, Republican Steve Hilton and Swalwell in the general, and then this comes out?
Enjoy the podcast below. The audio is here.
