Assemblyman Carl DeMaio Demands DOJ Intervention Against Newsom’s ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’

Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) on Tuesday formally requested U.S. Department of Justice intervention to block implementation of Assembly Bill 2624, the law critics have dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law over the weekend.

In a post on X, DeMaio declared: “Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that punishes the people EXPOSING fraud instead of the people committing it! I’m asking the U.S. DOJ to intervene against AB 2624 — the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ — and stop this attack on citizen journalists and the First Amendment.” 

REQUEST FOR DOJ ACTION:
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that punishes the people EXPOSING fraud instead of the people committing it!

I’m asking the U.S. DOJ to intervene against AB 2624 — the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” — and stop this attack on citizen journalists and the First… pic.twitter.com/611ceYUTD7

— Carl DeMaio (@carldemaio) August 25, 2026

The measure, authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), wife of Attorney General Rob Bonta, expands California’s long-standing Safe at Home address confidentiality program to include “designated immigration support services providers,” their employees, and volunteers who can document threats, harassment, or violence linked to their work. Participants can obtain substitute mailing addresses through the Secretary of State. 

The law also prohibits knowingly posting or displaying on the internet the personal information or image of a program participant (or others at the same address) with the specific intent to incite imminent great bodily harm or to place the person in objectively reasonable fear for their safety. It takes effect October 1, 2027. 

DeMaio and other critics argue the legislation creates a chilling effect on investigative work, particularly by independent or citizen journalists documenting potential waste, fraud, and abuse involving taxpayer-funded programs that serve immigrant communities. The provisions allowing participants or their representatives to demand removal of posted images or information, backed by potential civil lawsuits including attorney’s fees, could be weaponized against those shining a light on the extensive fraud, only recently exposed by independent journalists.

As California Globe previously reported, Newsom signed AB 2624 on August 22—shortly after publicly decrying “assaults on the free press” and insisting reporters must be free to hold those in power accountable without fear of retribution. The timing drew sharp scrutiny given the bill’s nickname and the broader context of high-profile fraud probes. 

The “Stop Nick Shirley” moniker references independent journalist and YouTuber Nick Shirley, whose viral videos examining Somali-run childcare “learing” centers in Minnesota and subsequent investigations into California hospice and related providers alleged widespread fraud involving public funds. Shirley’s Minnesota reporting helped spur federal attention and enforcement actions; in California, state authorities under Attorney General Rob Bonta, assisted by the federal government, later announced charges in a $267 million Medi-Cal hospice fraud scheme involving sham providers and stolen identities. Shirley has framed the bill as a response to his work exposing problems in immigrant-linked services and has indicated he will host a rally against the bill in Sacramento on Wednesday. 

Shirley responded to DeMaio’s announcement, stating: “@TheJusticeDept, there is absolutely no need for the bill and it’s obvious why the corrupt politicians created it. They need the fraud. See you all in Sacramento tomorrow at 11am.”

@TheJusticeDept , there is absolutely no need for the bill and it’s obvious why the corrupt politicians created it. They need the fraud.

See you all in Sacramento tomorrow at 11am.

— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) August 25, 2026

Bonta and supporters maintain the law simply extends proven protections already available to domestic violence survivors, reproductive health workers, and others facing targeted threats. They emphasize that penalties require specific harmful intent, that it does not ban filming in public or legitimate journalism, and that it references California’s journalist shield law. Bonta has dismissed the Shirley nickname as a misrepresentation, stating the bill responds to documented harassment of immigrant service workers and does not conflate journalism with doxxing. 

DeMaio has argued that Democrats are prioritizing shielding certain organizations over rooting out fraud that drains taxpayer dollars. His request to the DOJ’s civil rights division frames AB 2624 as an unconstitutional infringement on free speech and press freedoms. 

California Globe has extensively covered waste, fraud, and abuse in state programs, as well as legislative efforts, including clandestine tunnels in the new multi-billion-dollar capitol building, that critics say expand government power at the expense of transparency and constitutional rights. 

This latest action by California Democrats fits a familiar pattern: while officials tout crackdowns on fraud after independent exposure, new barriers appear for those doing the exposing.