California Democratic lawmakers give in on AB 379 following effective Republican ad efforts and criticism for eliminating age limit.

The California Democrat Supermajority has been openly displaying their negative behavior and immorality. In April, RedState revealed that Nick Schultz (D-Burbank), the chairman of the Public Safety Committee, decided to delay AB 379, a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento). This bill aimed to classify purchasing sex from a minor under 18 as a felony. Krell, an experienced prosecutor specializing in sex crimes and human trafficking, had gained support for the bill from both Democrats and Republicans in the Assembly, as well as various organizations advocating for victims of sex crimes.

As the current year unfolded, a heated discussion arose surrounding a bill proposed by Asm. Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) to make soliciting or purchasing sex from 16 and 17-year-olds a felony. Despite Newsom’s appeals, Assembly Democrats removed Krell’s name from the bill, eliminated the specific provision, added ambiguous language about safeguarding sex trafficking victims, and began a public relations campaign accusing prominent Republicans of voting against safeguarding 16 and 17-year-olds.

In response to these actions, the Republican members in the Assembly stepped up their efforts. Instead of achieving their goals, the Democrats’ strategies not only failed but also had an opposite effect. Sacramento Capitol Correspondent Ashley Zavala exclusively disclosed a counter advertising campaign initiated by the California GOP.

WATCH:

The video ads, which KCRA 3 is the first to report, come amid . The proposal is part of a broader push to ramp up the consequences for the buyers of the child sex trafficking trade.

The videos feature three teenage girls. One begins by specifically calling out an assembly member and notes Democrats in the Assembly “blocked a law that would’ve protected us.”

The ads are targeted against eight Democrat Assembly members, some of whom are in swing or competitive districts: Rhodesia Ransom (Stockton), Esmeralda Soria (Merced), Pilar Schiavo (Santa Clarita), Jacqui Irwin (Thousand Oaks), Mark González (Los Angeles), Corey Jackson (Moreno Valley), Sharon Quirk-Silva (La Palma), and Darshana Patel (San Diego). In this Golden Age of Trump, it’s a new California GOP: No doubt, CA GOP chair Corrin Rankin, and Los Angeles GOP chair Roxanne Hoge have candidates waiting in the wings to challenge them.

Time to pop the popcorn. 

For the Democrats, this doubling down on the victimization of minors while protecting the predators has only served to make them appear even more craven and crazy than they already are. They have managed to single-handedly engineer the worst PR campaign imaginable. 

As Van Laar pointed out, Newsom’s powers of persuasion are non-existent; he has fully lost control over his state party. However, the threat of this targeted ad campaign, along with being called out by California citizens, has brought about a change of heart… if they even had them in the first place.

Zavala reported on Tuesday afternoon that the Democrat leadership decided to add the age ceiling back into AB 379.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Assembly Public Safety Chairman Nick Schultz announced the update in written statements.

Leaders said the proposed automatic felony will be added back into AB 379, backpedaling on moves the two made last week that first removed the felony that was in the bill filed by Democratic Sacramento Assemblymember Maggy Krell.

The change will be made with one condition: the felony will not apply when the adult offender is within three years of the age of the minor. In those cases, the crime would remain a misdemeanor.

Rivas and Schultz also restored Krell’s name to the bill she authored. So, for all intents and purposes, it’s a win-win.

Whoever was in charge of this strategy by the CA GOP needs to keep it up. Not only did they manage to force the Democrats to cede legislative ground, but they have also gained the moral high ground.