Officers who cover their faces could be charged with a misdemeanor under California proposal
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who cover their faces while conducting official business could face a misdemeanor charge in California under a new proposal announced Monday.
The bill would require all law enforcement officials show their faces and be identifiable by their uniform, which should carry their name or other identifier. It would not apply to the National Guard or other troops and it exempts SWAT teams and officers responding to natural disasters.
State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat representing San Francisco, and State Sen. Jesse Arreguin, a Democrat representing Berkeley and Oakland, said the proposal seeks to boost transparency and public trust in law enforcement. It also looks to protect against people trying to impersonate law enforcement, they said.
'We are seeing more and more law enforcement officers, particularly at the federal level, covering their faces entirely, not identifying themselves at all and, at times, even wearing army fatigues where we can't tell if these are law enforcement officers or a vigilante militia,' Wiener said.
'They are grabbing people off our streets and disappearing people, and it's terrifying,' he added.
In Los Angeles, a series of immigration raids June 6 by federal officers, some with face coverings, triggered days of turbulent protests across the city and beyond and led President Donald Trump to deploy National Guard troops and Marines to the LA area. More than 100 people were detained during those raids and immigrant advocates say they have not been able to contact them.
The state senators said that in recent months, federal officers have conducted raids while covering their faces, and at times their badges and names, in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Concord, Downey and Montebello.
'Law enforcement officers are public servants and people should be able to see their faces, see who they are, know who they are. Otherwise, there is no transparency and no accountability,' Wiener said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
13 minutes ago
- Axios
"She's missing stuff": Norton's colleagues see signs of decline
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) has long been a formidable presence in the halls of Congress despite her non-voting status. Now at 88 years old, some of her colleagues tell Axios that presence has diminished considerably. Why it matters: Lawmakers said Norton has been much less involved recently at critical moments for the District, as President Trump and his allies in Congress threaten overturning the city's laws and squeeze its budget. One House Democrat who knows Norton's work from the Oversight Committee told Axios that during efforts to pass D.C. statehood in 2020 and 2021, she "wasn't talking to many people." The lawmaker described a similar dynamic earlier this year when Congress passed a measure that unexpectedly forced D.C. to cut $1.1 billion from its budget. "There was a time when she lobbied her colleagues to explain D.C.'s positions," they said. "She doesn't do that anymore." The big picture: While she possesses a robust staff, Norton herself keeps public appearances to a minimum. On rare occasions Norton has talked to reporters this year, her staff twice walked back her answers. Last week Norton staffers hedged after she told reporters she planned to run for a 19th term next year. Mayor Muriel Bowser has ramped up her Hill lobbying in recent years on issues like statehood and revamping RFK Stadium. Norton's floor time dropped from 44 days between 2019 to 2020 to just 18 days from 2023 to 2024. She's spoken a handful of times so far this year. What she's saying: "Last Congress I successfully blocked nearly all of the 100+ federal legislative attacks on D.C," Norton told Axios in a statement, touting getting the statehood bill passed twice in the House. Norton said her office "was on the phone with Republican leadership within minutes" about the D.C. budget issue, adding she has "publicly highlighted this injustice nearly 70 times since then ... and I have no plans to stop until the bill is passed." "D.C. residents have embraced me as their 'Warrior on the Hill,' where I've been privileged to have a long and successful tenure defending D.C. residents." What we're hearing: "She's missing stuff," a senior House Democrat said of Norton's apparent decline, telling Axios that Democratic leadership's deliberations about her potential reelection bid are "delicate." A third House Democrat said their own observation of Norton from working with her on a committee is that she essentially goes through the motions and little else: "She shows up to committee, she reads the speech." "All of that is true," said a fourth House Democrat. "She reads what her staff puts in front of her. She can't say anything she's not reading. That's a staff-driven office now, just like you saw in the Senate with Feinstein," referencing the late California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The other side: Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), the acting ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, said Norton has been "more visible than I've seen most members" as the panel has considered D.C.-related bills. "From my own observation, I think she's trying to work her tail off, to be honest with you," Lynch said of Norton. "I see a very productive member." State of play: Norton publicly maintains she is still considering a reelection bid as D.C. Council members publicly express concerns about her running. "Through thoughtful discussions with my friends, family, and closest advisors, I'm still considering my options for the next election cycle," she said in her statement on Monday. Between the lines: Many House Democrats declined to weigh in on whether Norton should run — largely because they haven't spoken with her. "I don't know that I'm ready to bury [her] yet," said D.C.-area Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.). "We just haven't had conversations about it one way or the other — I haven't anyway." Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Axios: "I haven't seen her in a little bit, so I haven't had a chance to hear what she has to say."
Axios
13 minutes ago
- Axios
The GOP's come to Jesus moment on Texas Senate race
A new private GOP poll is showing Republicans facing a growing problem in the Texas Senate race, the third such survey in just a month. Why it matters: Republicans haven't lost a statewide race in Texas in more than three decades, but party officials concede they may need to spend millions to keep the seat this year. "The problem is nobody with the necessary gravitas seems to be willing to state the obvious: this is shaping up to be a f***ing disaster," a senior GOP Senate aide told Axios. Zoom in: Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) trails state Attorney General Ken Paxton by 16 percentage points in a new survey conducted by veteran Republican pollster Chris Wilson. A copy was obtained by Axios. But Paxton trails a generic Democrat by three percentage points in a general election matchup. The establishment-aligned Cornyn performs far better than Paxton in a general election, leading a Democrat by seven percentage points. The survey results are similar to recent surveys conducted by the GOP-aligned Senate Leadership Fund super PAC and the American Opportunity Alliance, a network of influential Republican donors. Between the lines: Paxton was impeached by the state House of Representatives in 2023 on bribery and corruption charges but was later acquitted by the state Senate. "If the goal is to maintain a GOP Senate majority and maximize Trump's down-ballot coattails in Texas, Paxton's nomination is a strategic liability," Wilson, who has advised Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), said in a memo accompanying the poll. "If Paxton wins the primary, the GOP is on a path to hand Democrats their best Senate opportunity in a generation," Wilson added. Yes, but: Cornyn has more than $8 million in the bank between his campaign and super PAC accounts and has yet to begin unloading on Paxton, which Cornyn aides insist will tighten the primary contest. Cornyn has also assembled a seasoned team of operatives that includes senior Trump political advisers Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio. The bottom line: "The Cornyn campaign remains confident that once Texas GOP primary voters fully understand Ken Paxton's record of mismanagement, self-dealing and ethical failures, we will win the primary," said Cornyn spokesperson Matt Mackowiak.
Axios
25 minutes ago
- Axios
California bill takes aim at Trump's masked ICE raids
California is challenging President Trump's masked immigration raids with a bill banning law enforcement officers from operating anonymously. Why it matters: The proposal responds to a surge in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps amid the federal administration's aggressive deportation push. State of play: SB 627, introduced by state Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Jesse Arreguín (D- Oakland) on Monday, would require local, state and federal officers in California to reveal their identities — via nametags, badge numbers or other visible markers — and prohibit face coverings. What they're saying: "They're grabbing people off of our streets and disappearing people and it is terrifying," Wiener said at a Monday press briefing. "This law is really rooted in two principles: to protect the safety of California's communities and ensure that there's transparency and accountability for law enforcement," added Arreguín. Between the lines: The bill follows reports of federal agents conducting masked raids in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, often without disclosing their agency or purpose. Violations would be criminalized as a misdemeanor. Yes, but: SWAT teams and officers wearing medical or smoke-protection masks under health or emergency protocols would be exempt, as would military personnel such as the National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles. Law enforcement contractors must comply. The other side: The bill could very likely face opposition from law enforcement and has already drawn the ire of some Republicans, including U.S. Justice Department attorney Harmeet Dhillon, who said that "states can't regulate what federal law enforcement wears." Context: The bill aims to target instances of ICE officers dressed in plainclothes or police-labeled attire — actions that have misled the public, caused widespread fear and eroded trust between local police and communities in sanctuary cities, Wiener said.
