Federal Prosecutor Criticizes Newsom Over Court Ruling
In a recent statement, Los Angeles’ leading federal prosecutor accused Governor Gavin Newsom of misleading the public. This comes after Newsom celebrated a ruling that temporarily blocked certain California laws impacting federal law enforcement.
On Monday, Newsom met with Mr. X to mark what he called an incomplete victory. This followed a federal judge’s decision to halt a law that would have banned federal agents from wearing masks during their operations in California.
U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder ruled in favor of a measure mandating law enforcement officers—both federal and state—to wear badges or other forms of identification on their uniforms.
Newsom took to X to express, “A federal court has upheld California’s law requiring identification for federal employees. California will continue to stand up for civil rights and democracy.” However, Bill Esseri, assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District, responded, “That’s a funny way of saying you lost,” emphasizing that the judge ruled against the mask law for violating the Supremacy Clause.
Judge Snyder, who was appointed by Clinton, noted that the mask prohibition unfairly differentiates between federal and state law enforcement officers.
The ruling has been received positively by the Trump administration, with Attorney General Pam Bondi voicing support on X, stating that federal employees face harassment while performing their duties. She asserted, “We will continue to fight for President Trump’s law and order agenda and we will continue to win in the courts.”
Back in September 2025, Newsom enacted Senate Bill 627, also called the Secret Police Ban Act. This legislation prevents law enforcement, whether local or federal, from wearing masks or face coverings to hide their identities while on duty. It was set to go into effect on January 1, 2026.
Shortly after, in November 2025, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit in California, arguing that the law obstructed the work of federal employees and contravened the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
If officers fail to comply with the mask or identification requirements under this law, they could face serious consequences, including criminal charges, fines, and potentially jail time.
Following the ruling, California Senator Scott Wiener, who is vying to replace Nancy Pelosi in Congress, expressed intentions to propose new legislation applicable to all law enforcement agencies. He mentioned that he hopes the new measures could take effect immediately if they pass.
Wiener also clarified that while an earlier version of the bill initially included state employees, those provisions were removed after discussions with the governor’s office—a move the court deemed discriminatory.
This legislative action by California Democrats is seen as a response to what they describe as aggressive tactics by federal immigration and border agents.
