A 24-year-old investigative journalist known for undercover exposés is suing the state of California over a new law he says was written specifically to silence him and other reporters who investigate fraud.
Nick Shirley, who gained national attention after a video investigation into alleged corruption in Minneapolis, had recently begun similar reporting in California when the state legislature passed Assembly Bill 2624. The measure grants special legal protections to anyone associated with “immigration support services providers,” and critics have taken to calling it “The Stop Nick Shirley Act.”
Under the law, a written demand can be enough to halt the publication of a video, and those who investigate or publish reporting on such providers could face significant fines. Shirley’s legal team argues the statute is not limited to him: it also threatens other independent and investigative journalists, including PJ Media’s Jennifer Van Laar, Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe, on-the-ground reporter Cam Higby, and video journalist Anthony Cabassa.
The Legal Challenge
According to PJ Media, Shirley’s lawsuit claims AB 2624 is unconstitutional on five separate grounds. It alleges the law amounts to viewpoint-based discrimination, is overly broad in what it restricts, is unconstitutionally vague, and applies retroactively — as an ex post facto measure — to reporting Shirley had already completed and published before the bill took effect.
Shirley announced the lawsuit on social media, writing: “I’m suing California…California has decided to push for less transparency and create laws that penalize citizens and journalists for looking into potential fraud inside ‘immigration support services providers.’ A written demand is all it takes to stop the publishing of a video in California.”
“California has decided to push for less transparency and create laws that penalize citizens and journalists for looking into potential fraud inside ‘immigration support services providers.’ A written demand is all it takes to stop the publishing of a video in California.”
Supporters online have encouraged him to continue the fight, with one response reading: “Good to see this. These legal battles may take years so hang tough and never compromise on the 1st amendment.”
Shirley has also drawn attention for public exchanges defending his reporting, including an on-camera conversation in late August in which he challenged a New York Times reporter’s understanding of what the bill actually does.
The lawsuit is expected to be the first of what advocates say could be several legal challenges to the law in the months ahead.
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