California Democrats have gone off the deep end—voting to PROTECT child sex predators who purchase 16 and 17-year-olds for their sick fantasies.
At a Glance
- California Democrats blocked a bill that would make soliciting 16 and 17-year-olds for sex a felony
- Governor Newsom broke with his party to support harsher penalties for child sex predators
- Democrats absurdly claimed trafficking charges could be “unfairly used against LGBTQ individuals”
- California has some of the highest human trafficking rates in the nation
- The bill will be reconsidered in the fall after immense public backlash
Democrats Choose Predators Over Children
In a move that should shock the conscience of every American parent, California Democrats have officially decided that men who purchase teenagers for sex don’t deserve felony charges. The Democrat-controlled Public Safety Committee recently killed a bill that would have made it a felony to solicit 16 and 17-year-olds for sex. Let that sink in. While the rest of us are trying to protect our kids from predators, California’s “progressive” lawmakers are giving those same predators a slap on the wrist. This isn’t just bad policy—it’s a moral abomination.
The bill, introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Maggy Krell, would have simply extended existing felony protections that already cover children under 16 to include 16 and 17-year-olds. It’s common sense to most Americans that buying ANY minor for sex should be treated as a serious crime. But apparently, that’s just too harsh for the California left, who would rather coddle sex predators than protect teenagers from exploitation. And their justification? Hold onto your hats, folks—they’re worried the law might somehow be “unfairly used against LGBTQ individuals and those in interracial relationships.” That’s right—they’re using the shield of identity politics to protect adults who purchase kids for sex.
Even Gavin Newsom Has Had Enough
When Governor Gavin Newsom is the voice of reason in your party, you know you’ve gone off the rails. In a surprising break from his party’s radical agenda, Newsom actually came out in support of the bill, marking his third opposition to his party’s leniency on human trafficking. His office didn’t mince words, stating what should be blindingly obvious to everyone: “The law should treat all sex predators who solicit minors the same — as a felony, regardless of the intended victim’s age. Full stop.”
“The law should treat all sex predators who solicit minors the same — as a felony, regardless of the intended victim’s age. Full stop.” – Newsom’s office.
Let’s be crystal clear about what’s happening here. California is already a hotbed for human trafficking. According to 2023 data, the state has some of the highest rates of trafficking cases in the nation. And how do California Democrats respond? By making it easier for predators to purchase teenagers for sex without facing serious consequences. Public Safety Committee Chair Nick Schultz tried to put lipstick on this pig by claiming they need “smarter, more balanced policy solutions.” Balanced for whom? The child predators? Because it certainly isn’t balanced for the 16 and 17-year-old victims.
Political Damage Control
After the predictable public outrage erupted, Democrats are now in full damage control mode. They’ve scheduled a hearing to reconsider Krell’s language on child trafficking for the fall—conveniently after everyone’s attention has moved elsewhere. Political consultant Andrew Acosta hit the nail on the head when he criticized the handling of the bill, suggesting it could harm Democrats in future elections. No kidding! When you choose to protect child sex predators over children, voters tend to notice.
“The majority clearly remains out of touch with mainstream California” – Rob Stutzman.
Speculation is growing that Newsom’s stance is connected to his rumored 2028 presidential ambitions. Recently, he also retracted support for biological men competing in women’s sports—another sign he might be distancing himself from the radical left as he eyes national office. But regardless of his motivations, at least on this issue, he’s got it right. This is one of those rare moments where I find myself in the bizarre position of agreeing with Gavin Newsom. When California’s premier progressive is the adult in the room telling his party that buying kids for sex should be a felony, you know the Democratic Party has completely lost its moral compass.
Upside-Down Priorities
It’s worth noting that in the upside-down world of California politics, a felony charge for buying a teenager for sex is somehow considered too harsh, but you’ll face felony charges for using the wrong pronoun in certain contexts or failing to comply with the state’s byzantine gun laws. You can’t make this stuff up. The same lawmakers who will throw the book at law-abiding citizens for trivial regulatory violations think we need to go easy on adults who pay to rape children. This is the moral bankruptcy of today’s left on full display.
Despite absurd objections from trafficking “advocate” Jess Torres, who claimed prosecuting these crimes might somehow increase violence against survivors, common sense tells us that harsher penalties deter crimes. To suggest we should go easy on predators to protect victims turns logic completely on its head. If California is serious about combating child trafficking, it needs to send a crystal clear message: buy a kid for sex, go to prison. Period. Anything less is a betrayal of the children this government claims to protect.
