Tipsheet

Here's an Update on California's Unconstitutional 'Stop Nick Shirley Act'

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  July 01, 2026 12:30 PM

California Democrats hate the First Amendment and the free press, and that should worry all of us because California Governor Gavin Newsom wants to bring his brand of leadership to Washington D.C. in 2028. Independent journalist Nick Shirley, who helped expose billions in welfare fraud in Minnesota, also did the same in California.

Instead of going after the fraudsters and cleaning up their state, California Democrats decided to attack journalism and attack Shirley instead. They've even introduced legislation that would criminalize such journalism, in a bill colloquially known as the 'Stop Nick Shirley Act.'

That legislation was the subject of a hearing at the California Senate Committee.

"This bill was created only after I exposed billions of dollars in fraud throughout immigrant communities in the US. “Immigration support services” have become a billion-dollar industry in California, and now that the fraud has been exposed, they are trying to criminalize those who look into the fraud," Shirley wrote on X. "The bill has passed through the California Assembly and is set to pass through the Senate and then to Governor Newsom’s desk. This bill was created by the Attorney General's wife and will allow him to go after citizens if they film nonprofits and 'immigration support services providers.' Welcome to Califraudia."

Remember when Democrats said President Trump's mean tweets were an unconstitutional attack on a free press? Good times.

It takes guts.

They like the fraud and the grift. They'll just steal more of our wealth to pay for it.

This is who the Democrats are.

The Democrats have made it very clear that they do not support our Constitution or our rights, especially when we use our rights to expose how corrupt the Democrats are. This bill will not hold up in court, and Democrats know this. But they will keep pushing unconstitutional legislation to protect their interests, including fraudsters who steal billions of our tax dollars.