Photo: With Nick Shirley and Sen. Strickland at the press event.
Independent journalist and social media personality Nick Shirley joined Senator Tony Strickland (R–Huntington Beach) and concerned citizens at the California State Capitol to discuss Assembly Bill 2624, known as the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.” Assembly Bill 2624 was quietly signed into law by the governor despite strong opposition and concerns over its constitutionality.
“In America, we have freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Every citizen should have the right to know how their money is being spent, and it should not be a crime for those who uncover fraud,” said Senator Strickland. “This law could discourage investigative journalists, citizen reporters, and others from asking questions and holding government accountable. At the end of the day, this is about more than one journalist. It is about every Californian’s right to ask questions, speak freely, and hold government accountable. We should never create laws that make people afraid to question how their money is being spent. And I’ve always said, California doesn’t have a revenue problem; it has a wasteful spending problem.”
“Here in California, instead of going after the fraudsters, the politicians are now going after those who expose the fraud. There’s absolutely no need for this bill, AB 2624, also known as the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act.' It was only created after I exposed the fraud,” said Nick Shirley.
“Elected officials are entrusted with one of the most basic responsibilities of public service: protecting taxpayer dollars. When independent journalists like Nick Shirley expose fraud, waste, and abuse in California and across the country, our response should be simple: thank them, investigate the fraud, and hold those responsible accountable. Instead, the majority party is advancing legislation that makes it harder to uncover how taxpayer dollars are being abused. That is a failure of leadership. Californians work hard for their money. They deserve leaders who will fight to protect it,” said Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield).
What are the problematic provisions in the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’?
While there are numerous problematic provisions within the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” one example is what the bill considers to be personal information. One place this comes into play is within Section 6218.19(a)(1).
In addition, Section 6218.19(a)(2)(B) includes a provision requiring damages of at least $4,000 for certain violations, with the potential for additional damages and penalties under some circumstances. Critics argue that this could have a chilling effect on investigative journalism, as the threat of costly litigation and financial penalties could discourage journalists from reporting on controversial or politically sensitive issues.