Elected Officials, GOP Candidates, Pastors Protesting Gov. Newsom Signed Bill

By Mike Hernandez

BULLETIN:  Governor Newsom signs AB 2624 on Aug. 22 (Assemblymember Mia Bonta/D-Oakland — Privacy for immigration support services providers).

SACRAMENTO–Citizen journalist Nick Shirley will be speaking at the Wednesday, Aug. 26 Capitol Rally that also features State Senator Tony Strickland (R-36, Huntington Beach), Assemblyman David Tangipa (R-8, Fresno), Assemblywoman Alejandro Macedo (R-33, San Joaquin Valley), California GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, Attorney General candidate Michael Gates, Supt. of Instruction candidate Sonja Shaw, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills Pastor Jack Hibbs as well as and nine other speakers.

The rally which opposes AB 2624 kicks off at the State Capitol on 1315 10th (and L) Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 with event booths at 11 a.m. and a press conference from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. and a call to action from 12:45-1:30 p.m.  Attendees will then lobby their elected representatives from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

State Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, R-75, San Diego and Reform California Chairman, calls AB 2624 the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” and argues the bill is a direct response to Shirley’s California videos meant to detect state fraud.

“California Democrats are trying to intimidate citizen watchdog journalists and protect waste and fraud happening in far‑left‑wing NGOs,” DeMaio said in a news release. “AB 2624 can only be described as the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ — a bill designed to silence citizen journalists exposing fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars.” DeMaio contends the bill is unconstitutional and directly violates the First Amendment,

Building on the attention surrounding one of his earlier videos filmed exposing Somalia fraud in Minnesota, Nick Shirley has more recently turned his focus to California, posting videos in which he visits and questions health care and immigration‑related service centers across the state. In those videos, Shirley records interactions and posts them online as part of content he has described as citizen watchdog journalism.

According to Nick Shirley, “I started creating content because I saw a gap between what mainstream media was reporting and what was actually happening on the ground. Too many stories were being filtered, sanitized, or ignored entirely. So I picked up a camera and started going to the places that matter.”

“My approach is simple: show up, ask questions, and document everything. Whether it’s street-level interviews at protests, investigating migrant shelters, or exposing alleged government fraud, I believe in letting people see the unfiltered reality for themselves.”

“My content spans investigative documentaries, man-on-the-street interviews, and deep dives into topics that mainstream outlets often overlook — government accountability, immigration, urban issues, and social policy.

“Being independent means I answer to my audience, not advertisers or corporate interests. When you support this work, you’re investing in journalism that isn’t afraid to go where others won’t and ask what others won’t ask. Every view, every share, every subscription helps keep independent journalism alive. Together, we can ensure that the stories that matter get told — no matter who they make uncomfortable.”

Response To AB 2624 From Outside California

The bill drew sharp responses from political figures across the country. Rep. Tim Burchett posted on X with a terse verdict: “This is Democrat leadership.” Republican New Hampshire congressional candidate Lily Tang Williams went further: “Taxpayers should be outraged by this in CA. If CA…protect(s) fraudsters, Federal government must fight back.”

(Editor’s Note: To see the original bill introduced in the State Assembly on Feb. 20 see link: https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB2624/id/3371241.)

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(Editor’s Note:  CaliRedNews.com is an online news platform focused on Making California Red by the 2026 elections through reaching Gen Z (ages 13-28), Hispanics, and Christians with biblical traditional values. CaliRed News reports on political, church, and education news. Free subscriptions are available at https://substack.com/@calirednews or CaliRedNews.com.

Mike Hernandez, is co-founder of the Citizens Journal–Ventura County’s online news service. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor, writer of “CaliRed News” on Substack.com and “Prayer Over News Daily” and other columns. Mr. Hernandez mentors citizen journalists and is author of “Citizen Journalism: How to Report, Write, and Publish Local News Like a Pro—Finding Your Voice, Reporting the Truth, and Building a News Source for Your Community” and can be contacted at MikeHernandezMedia.com dedicated to advancing truth, service, and hope through Mission News Service. He is also founder/publisher/editor of https://calirednews.com/.)