Newsom hit with lawsuit threat over bill that criminalizes watchdog journalism

Key Points:

• California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill titled "Privacy for immigration support services providers," which offers privacy protections to immigration support workers and penalizes publishing their images on social media, effective October 1.
• Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio criticized the law, calling it the "Stop Nick Shirley Act," claiming it criminalizes investigative journalism and silences citizen journalists exposing fraud related to taxpayer-funded immigrant services.
• DeMaio and a coalition plan to file a lawsuit challenging the law, arguing it infringes on First Amendment rights, and they are seeking intervention from the U.S. Department of Justice.
• DeMaio accused California’s Democratic leadership of enabling widespread fraud in immigrant service organizations that misuse taxpayer funds for political activities rather than public services.
• Newsom’s office denied the bill targets journalists like Nick Shirley or conceals fraud, dismissing Republican claims as conspiracy theories and misinformation.