Rep. Young Kim of California said Thursday that California Democrats seek to jail individuals who are “actually exposing” government fraud, accusing the party of targeting citizen journalists rather than criminals.
Kim criticized proposed legislation she referred to as the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” claiming Democrats aim to silence independent journalists uncovering corruption in California’s healthcare system. She highlighted recent federal actions against healthcare providers: Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, recently suspended 800 hospital and home healthcare providers in California following investigations into alleged foreign-linked criminal fraud schemes that siphon taxpayer dollars from Medicare and vulnerable seniors.
“People who are actually trying to expose this fraud — they called them crazy,” Kim said. “But they’re not laughing anymore.”
Kim promoted her own legislation, the “No More Scams Act,” which she stated would strengthen anti-fraud enforcement efforts launched under former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s anti-fraud task force. “We need to go after the fraudsters,” she added. “Let’s get behind independent journalists who are actually exposing the fraud that is happening in my home state of California.”
She also criticized Governor Gavin Newsom for spending excessive time outside California while wildfires ravaged parts of the state, noting that 17,000 people received evacuation notices in Southern California and Newsom was “out of state in Washington, D.C.” Kim added he might be “auditioning for the next LinkedIn profile.”
Kim said California voters are growing frustrated with Democrat leadership under Governor Newsom as Republicans look to make the governor’s race competitive despite the state’s heavy Democratic voter registration advantage. “We’ve seen enough,” she said of current Democratic candidates on debate stages. “They don’t have the vision but to blame somebody who is not there — and that’s Donald Trump.”
Kim called for Republicans to unite behind a credible statewide candidate capable of addressing voter anger over crime, homelessness, housing costs, and businesses fleeing California.
