FACT CHECK: California Politicians Need Private Security To Protect Them From Conservatives

The Claim:

California assemblywoman Mia Bonta (D.) and state senator Scott Wiener (D.) have introduced a bill that seeks to allow politicians to use unlimited campaign funds for private security. This move comes in response to threats of “political violence” by former president Donald Trump and his supporters.

Why it Matters:

The Bonta-Wiener proposal seeks to undo long-standing campaign finance regulations that limit the use of campaign donations for security to $5,000. However, this money can only be diverted if there is credible law enforcement verification of actual threats relating to the politician’s status or duties.

The Context:

Murder, property crime, and violence in California are on the rise. However, not all of these issues are related to politics. Rob Bonta, the state’s attorney general, has been implementing lenient policies that have allowed violent crime to go unchecked. Bonta’s policies include investigating police and suing cities over their zoning policies. These efforts have not curbed crime in the area. Mia Bonta, who chairs the State Assembly’s budget committee, has also complemented her husband’s lenient enforcement efforts. She has been focused on the criminal justice system’s softening.

Although the lawmakers blame the “rising tide of political violence” on Trump and his supporters, evidence suggests otherwise. In fact, the most significant act of political violence California has seen recently was carried out by a mentally ill leftist. The lawmakers’ argument also omits the fact that the attempted political assassination of Rep. Steve Scalise (R., La.) was carried out by a supporter of Bernie Sanders.