‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ Sparks Showdown at California Capitol

Days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a controversial bill critics have dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” the journalist whose name became attached to the measure showed up at the California State Capitol to fight it.

The rally comes just days after Newsom signed AB 2624 into law, setting up an argument over whether the bill truly is meant to protect immigration services providers or to stop journalists from being able to investigate fraud throughout the Golden State.

Shirley, whose investigations into alleged fraud helped fuel opposition to the legislation, has emerged as one of its most vocal critics.

Speaking at Wednesday’s rally, Shirley accused state leaders of targeting those investigating fraud rather than the people committing it.

“Here in California, the politicians, instead of going after the fraudsters, they’re going after the ones that are going to expose the fraud,” Shirley said.

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Shirley also pointed to the legislation’s author, Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, whose husband, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, serves as the state’s top law enforcement official.

“While the attorney general is supposed to go after fraudsters, his wife is doing the opposite,” Shirley said.

Explaining how he and others intend to fight it, Shirley said: “This is not the end; this is just the beginning.”

Other speakers at the rally argued that the issue extends beyond Shirley and could affect Californians’ ability to scrutinize how taxpayer dollars are being spent.

State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, called the law unconstitutional and predicted it would face a legal challenge.

“AB 2624 is unconstitutional and will be challenged,” Strickland said. “This is not just about one journalist. You have a right to know how your money is being spent and if your money is being wasted.”

Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates similarly argued that the law could shield government activity from scrutiny.

“It’s designed to prevent accountability, and it violates our First Amendment rights,” Gates said.

Shirley previously warned that the legislation could set a broader precedent for press freedom.

“If they’re willing to violate our First Amendment and the freedom of the press, imagine what they’re going to do next,” Shirley said ahead of the rally.

Newsom’s press office has rejected that characterization, saying the legislation “has nothing to do with” preventing investigative reporting.

“All this bill does is protect immigration workers from doxxing and threats. That’s it,” Newsom’s press office said.

With the law not scheduled to take effect until October 2027, opponents used Wednesday’s rally to signal that the fight over AB 2624 is far from over.

Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, is already calling for federal intervention, asking the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to review AB 2624 and intervene to block its implementation in court.

In an op-ed published in the California Post, DeMaio accused Newsom and state Democrats of knowingly advancing an unconstitutional law in an effort to deter investigations into alleged government fraud.

“Newsom and his party know the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ is unconstitutional, but they are trying to slow down investigations into the massive fraud problems they have allowed in state and local government programs,” DeMaio wrote.