California State Senator Scott Wiener, who last week announced his campaign to replace former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has such a controversial legislative record, even the New York Times is taking notice.
A recent New York Times Magazine report on Los Angeles’ underage sex trafficking epidemic attributed the problem in large part to a law that barred police officers from detaining loitering women they suspected were minors being sex trafficked. Under “Safer Streets for All Act,” officers have to “swear they had a reason to suspect each girl was underage” before detaining one of the lingerie-clad women lingering on Figueroa Street, which officers say is made because of difficult because of “fake eyelashes and wigs.”
Wiener was one of the main advocates of that bill, which he said would improve racial equity in Los Angeles.
“Our bill to repeal the crime of “loitering with intent to commit prostitution” — arresting someone simply for standing on a sidewalk & “appearing” to be a sex worker — passed the Senate,” Wiener wrote on X in June 2021. “This crime targets trans, Black & Brown women & needs to go. Thank you, colleagues!”
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In response to a Daily Wire inquiry about the New York Times report, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said that a recent bill signed this year could help mitigate some of the issues referenced in the story, and called human trafficking “an evil and egregious crime.”
“The Governor signed AB 379 this summer, which will allow police to detain individuals suspected of seeking to purchase sex, and help clear out some of the areas discussed in the article. This new law also provides additional tools to local law enforcement to better hold these criminals performing these heinous crimes accountable,” a Newsom spokesman said in a statement.
Assembly Bill 379, which Newsom signed earlier this year, makes it a misdemeanor “for any person to loiter in any public place with the intent to purchase commercial sex.” RedState reported that the Los Angeles Police Department had its hands tied prior to the SB 357, as former District Attorney George Gascón had a directive that prevented people from being arrested or charged for “loitering to commit prostitution.”
“The reality is — the federal agency that is supposed to combat trafficking is ICE. Maybe Trump and Miller should do their job rather than targeting and terrorizing black and brown American citizens at random on the street,” the statement from Newsom’s office continued.
Pelosi says she will make announcement regarding her political future in November, after California votes on a major redistricting initiative. It’s unclear whether Wiener’s announcement will set off a major primary battle should Pelosi opt to retire. Pelosi reportedly favors San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan as her successor.
Wiener’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
