California Lawmakers Face Scrutiny Over Investigative Reporting Bill
On Saturday, independent journalist Nick Shirley confronted California lawmakers regarding a proposed bill aimed at criminalizing investigative reporting that reveals misconduct.
Mia Bonta, a Democratic state legislator and the spouse of Attorney General Rob Bonta, presented Assembly Bill 2624 (AB2624) during a 25-minute YouTube video. The video features Shirley interviewing members of Congress about the bill’s implications. This legislation is currently moving through various committees, including the Privacy and Consumer Protection and Judiciary Committees.
“Before I exposed the fraud, they didn’t take action. They actually cracked down after my findings and made several arrests, particularly in hospice cases. And if this bill passes, it might be illegal for anyone to investigate fraud, including immigration-related fraud like what’s seen in some Armenian communities in California,” Shirley pressed one lawmaker.
“So, this bill, often referred to as the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’—what’s the story?” Shirley inquired of another lawmaker.
“Well, there isn’t really a ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act,’ but the author of the bill isn’t here now. I hope we can find one,” the congressman replied.
Most lawmakers interacted with Shirley respectfully; however, Democratic state Senator Scott Wiener, who is pursuing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, seemed to lash out, stating, “I think you’re a psycho con artist,” before walking away.
Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio labeled AB2624 as the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” in a statement, framing it as a Democratic initiative to shield against the exposure of fraud and abuse, including issues at daycare centers allegedly operated by Somali immigrants.
In March 2017, the state of California indicted David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt with 15 felonies due to their undercover investigations at family planning clinics, where they unveiled the sale of fetal tissue. After nearly ten years of legal disputes, the ultimate charges were dropped on April 3.
Shirley has raised awareness about welfare fraud in Minnesota, notably in December, with a 42-minute video showing visits to daycare centers claimed to be run by Somali immigrants. He also released a 40-minute investigation into a hospice center in the Los Angeles area, alleging he uncovered at least $170 million in fraud.
In a related effort, an Anti-Fraud Task Force, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, recently paused the federal funds allocated to about 450 hospices in Los Angeles suspected of being involved in the scam. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. informed the House Ways and Means Committee that the fraud related to Los Angeles hospices has cost taxpayers an estimated $5 billion.
Additionally, in Washington state, a lawmaker proposed a bill to exempt information about daycare centers from public records laws, likely in response to citizen journalists investigating similar centers, reminiscent of Shirley’s work in Minnesota.
