As RedState reported, the California legislature introduced AB 2031, which would allow taxpayer-funded legal aid organizations to pay for the representation of criminal illegal aliens. We urged Californians to contact their elected representative and tell them this was not acceptable. The California citizens stepped up, and the bill's author, Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-LA), backed down. 

For now. 

Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R-Riverside) posted this on X in the early hours of Tuesday. 

BREAKING NEWS: We just got word that the Democrat author of #AB2031 to provide taxpayer funded legal services to criminal illegal immigrants has pulled the bill from tomorrow’s committee hearing. It’s unknown if this is the end of this bill, or if he will try to bring it back in… pic.twitter.com/A5z96g68CW

— Bill Essayli (@billessayli) March 12, 2024

BREAKING NEWS: We just got word that the Democrat author of #AB2031 to provide taxpayer funded legal services to criminal illegal immigrants has pulled the bill from tomorrow’s committee hearing. It’s unknown if this is the end of this bill, or if he will try to bring it back in the future. In the meantime this is a huge win for the People of California who made their voices heard and called their elected officials to oppose this dangerous policy. We need to assist the Feds in deporting criminal illegal immigrants, not fighting to keep them in our country to pray on future victims.

From the comments on the post, Jones-Sawyer's phone lines in both his Sacramento and Los Angeles offices were lit up. One person reported that the staff member was not too pleased to hear from her.

Good job! I called his office in Sacramento today. I spoke to a woman named Trinity. She was very rude, annoyed that I called. But, I was polite and voiced my concerns and position. I really wanted to know why he wrote this bill but she would not say anything other than she was…

— LilRascal (@rascal113646) March 12, 2024

Good job! I called his office in Sacramento today. I spoke to a woman named Trinity. She was very rude, annoyed that I called. But, I was polite and voiced my concerns and position. I really wanted to know why he wrote this bill but she would not say anything other than she was recording my opposition to it.

Whether AB 2031 or some permutation of it gets revived is yet to be seen. Jones-Sawyer is serving his last term in the Assembly because California imposes term limits. However, what this has produced is a political class that moves from the legislature back to local city councils or county boards and then back into the legislature or higher office. Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Adam Schiff, and Governor Gavin Newsom are the textbook examples. The Biden administration is chock full of California politicians who failed up — all the way to the White House. 

This is why local elections matter. 

Jones-Sawyer made an attempt to run for the Los Angeles City Council, but currently languishes in fifth place, with less than six percent of the vote. One hopes his record of partisan, self-serving, and racially-biased governance has finally caught up with him. 

Some state lawmakers are learning the hard way that wielding power in the halls of the California Legislature doesn’t necessarily translate to successful runs for other offices:
— Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer was in fifth place in his bid for LA City Council, and…

— Mike Netter (@nettermike) March 7, 2024

My colleague Bob Hoge, a California dissident still holding the line in the state, recently wrote:

It's no secret that Democrats are hell-bent on enticing as many illegal immigrants into our country as possible -- despite the immense security risks -- a point that X owner Elon Musk has made more than once. Every time you think they've reached a new low, they find more gifts and free things to give to illegal aliens. 

As I stated before, free legal defense to known criminal aliens is beyond the pale. The people of California agreed and called for Jones-Sawyer and his allies to back down. As Asm. Essayli stated, this is a huge win for California and its people.