Senator Pérez issues statement on FBI whistleblower complaint that reveals President Trump ordered FBI investigation of Alhambra resident for exercising First Amendment rights

SACRAMENTO – Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) issued the following statement on an FBI whistleblower complaint exposing the weaponization of the FBI against political opponents for exercising their First Amendment rights:

“This is a national nightmare that’s become a reality under this authoritarian demagogue president. Weaponizing law enforcement and the courts to investigate and prosecute people for exercising their protected constitutional rights is un-American. The FBI whistleblower case shared by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla includes an account of a constituent from my hometown of Alhambra who was targeted for a criminal investigation because the president, himself, watched a Tik Tok video of protesters exercising their First Amendment rights and became angry. This type of Orwellian state is exactly why I authored SB 1105, The Protect California Rights Act. Unfortunately, this legislation was vetoed last month by Governor Newsom. It would have used California’s authority to ensure that our state and local law enforcement never engage in these types of authoritarian acts and political attacks against any Californian when our police are operating on joint federal task forces. No matter someone’s political views, they are granted constitutional rights like free speech and the freedom to peacefully assemble.

“This president is so obsessed with being celebrated as the greatest. How about starting with upholding and not destroying the greatest document ever written to establish self-governance, fundamental freedoms and individual liberties?”

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