SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania has put a spotlight on the security of elected officials.
With the rising threat of political violence, Assemblymember Mia Bonta authored a bill that would allow Californian elected officials and those running for office to use campaign funds on security measures.
Assembly Bill 2041 would allow candidates or elected officials to use campaign funds on security personnel or security systems.
Bonta released a statement following the assassination attempt, alluding to why her bill needs to become law.
“What we saw on Saturday was proof that political violence continues to plague our democracy and reaffirms to me that we urgently need to allow state candidates to invest in their safety and fund security for themselves, their families, and their staff.”
State Senator Scott Wiener is a strong supporter of the bill, as he has received multiple death threats, including bomb threats at his home, since taking office.
“I’ve had to testify before a jury because some of the threats have led to criminal prosecutions,” Wiener said.
A survey by the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute found that 7 out of 10 LGBTQ+ candidates reported experiencing attacks while on the campaign trail.
The San Francisco lawmaker says most of the harassment he’s faced has come from him being an openly gay man who has been vocal about advancing policies to enhance LGBTQ+ rights.
“It’s super unpleasant to have to deal with death threats and it’s scary, to be honest,” shared Wiener. “But I would do it all over again because the laws that I’ve passed that have led to these death threats are all righteous laws that are saving lives.”
While Wiener says he will likely not use campaign funds for his own security if the bill passes, he believes the legislation is needed.
“It makes sense to give legislators the flexibility to decide whether it makes sense to use some campaign funds for their own personal protection because these threats arise from a legislator’s work for the people.”
Female candidates and elected officials are also more likely to experience an attack than men.
Data from the California’s Women’s List found that 65% of women who ran for office experienced harassment.
“Women and people of color are disproportionately attacked more than anyone else and we do not want anyone to be discouraged or have fear be a reason they’re not getting involved in our political discourse and civic society,” said Helen Torres, who is the CEO of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality.
Torres’ work is focused on helping Latinas gain political and economic parity through leadership, advocacy and education.
“This bill is very important because it’s one of the ways to get at ensuring protection,” Torres adds.
AB 2041 has received bipartisan support and has no registered opposition. The bill has an urgency clause meaning if it’s signed into law, it would go into effect immediately, as the November election approaches.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly described how Assembly Bill 2041 would allow candidates to use campaign funds on security personnel or systems. The article has been corrected. (July 19, 2024)