California is Determined to Protect It’s Fraud
In a Nutshell
California's Stop Nick Shirley Act prohibits posting personal info or images of health care fraud whistleblower targets online if it risks inciting violence, framed as protection but criticized as fascist censorship to shield fraud like Minnesota's Somali daycare scams. It echoes Puerto Rico's recent Transparency Act revocation, which exposes FOIA requesters to retaliation, and a 2016 Obama-era financial oversight board that funneled $2B in taxpayer funds to Wall Street for a bankrupt island's privatization fiasco under Luma. Both hinder investigative journalism exposing government waste and corruption.
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California introduced the Stop Nick Shirley Act, legislation prohibiting a person, business, or association from knowingly publicly posting or disclosing on internet websites or social media the personal information or image of designated health care services patient, provider, assistant, or other individuals residing at the same home address with intent to incite a third person to cause imminent great bodily harm to the identified person or co-resident, or to threaten them. Speakers describe it as an extreme fascist bill to prevent exposing fraud, similar to exposures in Minnesota, and potentially extending to Puerto Rico. It restricts release of investigative videos and imposes penalties on watchdogs exposing fraud. Introduced by a Democrat, with backlash likely from a Republican.
The act aims to get ahead of exposures like Nick Shirley's in Minnesota involving Somali learning centers, framed as protecting immigrants from violence, but speakers argue stopping fraud first or preventing violence separately would be better. Relates to broader free speech issues and investigative journalism.
Speaker discusses own work: post-fire in Palisades exposing FEMA issues; Puerto Rico financial exposures. Shelved deep dives due to workload and disturbing conditions—met man without roof or electricity for 8 years since likely Hurricane Maria.
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