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A high-profile California Democrat erupted at ICE after agents showed up at California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press conference announcing his redistricting plans were meant to confront the Trump administration and Texas Republicans.
California state Sen. Scott Wiener, of San Francisco County, expressed his outrage on Reddit, reposting a tweet from Newsom’s press office that mocked President Donald Trump’s all-caps custom.
“I’m authoring legislation to shut this ski mask s–t down,” Wiener wrote in bolded letters above an image of Newsom’s office’s tweet, which read: “BORDER PATROL HAS SHOWED UP AT OUR BIG BEAUTIFUL PRESS CONFERENCE! WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED!” (sic).
Wiener went on to call Texas’ redistricting process “rigged” and accused “Trump and his cronies” of initiating it.
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“Trump’s thugs showed up with ski masks. This situation — California leaders rallying for democracy and Trump’s secret police showing up to intimidate people — encapsulates exactly where our country is right now,” Weiner said.
“I’m proud of California for standing up for our democracy, and I look forward to voting for the California redistricting plan next week.”
Wiener’s bill would enforce misdemeanor charges against law enforcement who wear any “personal disguise while interacting with the public in performance of their duties, except as specified.”
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“By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would additionally state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to ensure that Special Weapons and Tactics team officers can utilize gear necessary to protect their faces from physical harm while they perform their duties, and to enact legislation to require local, state, and federal law enforcement officers to include their name or badge number on their uniforms.”
California Democrats, including Newsom, previously enforced the opposite during the coronavirus pandemic; ordering Californians to wear face masks in public.
Wiener also filed paperwork earlier this summer to run as a candidate in the 2028 election for the congressional district now represented by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
KRON, which also reported on the fiery Reddit post, asked the lawmaker about the filing.
Wiener told the outlet that he intends to run for Pelosi’s seat whenever she vacates it, whether it be in 2026 or the following cycle.
“This filing is a critical step to prepare for the serious work of running to succeed one of the icons of American politics.”
The 11th Congressional District is rated D+37 by the Cook Political Report, one point more Republican than it was in 2023. Therefore, the Democratic primary election is often indicative of the general’s result.
“In a potential race against extremely wealthy candidates who can self-fund, I’ll have to work very hard to prepare to go toe to toe,” Wiener told KRON, citing a “fight for democracy.”
Pelosi is 85 years old and has held the seat since she won a special election to succeed the late Rep. Sala Burton, D-Calif., in 1987.
Millennial businessman Bruce Lou garnered 19% of the vote in November as Pelosi’s most recent Republican opponent.
Lou also slammed the state’s redistricting plans on Friday, calling them a “Gavin-mander.”
