SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) introduced a trio of new bills to prevent public corruption and safeguard public trust in key democratic institutions.
Political retaliation – both through official abuses of power and physical violence– has become more commonplace, threatening the independent functioning of vital pillars of our democratic system including the press, courts, and universities. Assemblywoman Krell said,
“The real danger is that today’s shocking abuses of power become routine, permanent parts of tomorrow’s political culture. My generation of leaders still has the choice of whether we strengthen and renew our democracy or let it wither away right under our noses. I choose to leave behind something better – and right now, that means standing up for an independent press, standing up for independent courts, and ensuring that no official who abuses their office to settle personal scores is allowed to remain.”
The bill package is as follows:
- AB 1538 would require the removal from office of any public official found guilty of using their authority for political retribution or for retaliating against a person exercising their constitutional rights.
- AB 1545 would create stronger criminal penalties for targeted attacks against reporters and other representatives of the press. Violence against journalists is on the rise throughout the country, including close to home – where an allegedly politically-motivated shooting occurred at the ABC 10 studios in Sacramento.
- AB 1544 would ensure that authorized representatives of the press have consistent access to public courts. Without transparency and public access, the integrity of our court system is at risk.
About Assemblywoman Maggy Krell: Assemblywoman Maggy Krell represents Assembly District 6, Sacramento. Maggy Krell served as Chief Legal Counsel for Planned Parenthood during Donald Trump’s first presidency. Through the course of her legal career, she served as deputy to 5 attorney generals and prosecuted complex and multi-jurisdictional cases that included public corruption, major fraud, and human trafficking. Learn more about Assemblywoman Krell at https://a06.asmdc.org/.
