Xavier Becerra tried to lock me up me for the crime of journalism even the left called it disturbing

California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra says his campaign is a “break the glass” moment for the state.I should know.During his time as California Attorney General, Becerra tried to put me in jail for exercising my basic First Amendment rights.Specifically, he charged me with the “crime” of undercover video reporting on the harvesting and sale of aborted baby body parts.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story In other words: He tried to make journalism illegal.Becerra’s predecessor in that office, Kamala Harris, launched the unprecedented case under California’s law restricting video recording of “confidential” conversations.

It was the first and only time that law has been used against newsgathering.On her watch, in 2016, the state launched an armed raid on my home to seize my undercover footage.But it was Becerra who, in one of his first acts in office, made the decision to file 15 felony charges against me under the video recording law.Almost a decade before the California establishment launched the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” to stop citizen journalists from investigating fraud, Becerra was a key architect in early efforts to shield politically-favored, government-funded wrongdoers from scrutiny.Even left-leaning outlets called Becerra’s filing of charges “a disturbing overreach” to protect a politically-favored interest group, namely Planned Parenthood.As the case dragged on, half the charges against me were thrown out.

Two Southern California companies exposed by my undercover reporting admitted illegally selling body parts in a nearly $8 million settlement with local law enforcement.But Becerra persisted, even arguing that exceptions in California’s video recording law for gathering evidence of crimes did not apply because leg...