By Douglas V. Gibbs
When Minnesota’s fraud came to light, and the “Quality Learing Center” became a symbol of that fraud, America was watching and it proved to be very damaging to the Democrats. Then, independent journalist Nick Shirley turned his attention to California – and what is being discovered makes Minnesota’s fraud look like small potatoes.
Dr. Mehmet Oz sounded the alarm regarding rampant Medicare fraud in California’s hospice system last January, and while the mainstream media ignored it, Nick Shirley made a trip to California to start asking questions. In California, billions of dollars have been scammed from U.S. taxpayers, with a report showing that $200 million was lost due to fraud in 2023 alone. Nearly 500 hospice company offices claim to be registered within a three-mile stretch of Los Angeles according to one analysis, As we dig deeper into California’s fraud, the Democrats have been pushing back.
Democratic legislators in California blames citizen journalists like Nick Shirley, so rather than own up to the waste and corruption, California has decided to target those trying to expose the fraud. The new state law could see individuals like Nick Shirley subject to a $10,000 fine and imprisonment for trying to uncover the truth. AB-2624 claims to protect immigrants, but it criminalizes investigative journalism with fines, imprisonment, and a takedown of the content in question.
The law is a violation of our natural rights of Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech, and shields taxpayer funded organizations from public scrutiny. It uses intimidation to protect waste and fraud committed by far-left allies. Republican Carl DeMaio calls AB-2624 the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.” DeMaio said of the bill, “the message is clear to every journalist in California: expose corruption and you will be punished.”
— Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
