California Targets Nick Shirley
California Democrats are rushing to criminalize the very kind of investigative journalism that exposed alleged massive fraud in Minnesota.
Monty Donohew | April 16, 2026
California Democrats are rushing to criminalize the very kind of investigative journalism that exposed alleged massive fraud in taxpayer-funded Somali “learning” daycare centers and other immigrant support programs. Rather than clean up the waste, Sacramento has chosen to shield the perpetrators. Assembly Bill 2624 would make it a misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $10,000 and potential jail time, to publish images or personal information of “immigration support services providers,” their employees, or volunteers if done with the “intent to threaten, harass, or incite violence.” Additionally, courts could issue content-removal orders forcing platforms to take down the material.
Supporters call it “anti-doxxing.” In reality, it is a textbook content-based restriction on speech and press that cannot and should not survive First Amendment scrutiny.
The Supreme Court has long held that the First Amendment protects not merely the right to speak but the right to gather news and publish truthful information on matters of public concern, especially when taxpayer dollars are at stake. In New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964), the Court established that even harsh criticism of public programs and officials is shielded unless it involves provable falsehoods made with actual malice. Bartnicki v. Vopper (2001) went further: the publication of lawfully obtained information on matters of public importance enjoys full protection even if the underlying source obtained it improperly. Citizen journalists filming public-facing operations at government-funded facilities engage in core protected activity. Federal appellate courts, including the First Circuit in Glik v. Cunniffe (2011), have repeatedly affirmed the right to record government officials and publicly funded activities in public spaces without prior permission. Simply, quoting the Court in Glik:
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/04/california_targets_nick_shirley.html
