California Republican attacks ‘fake leftist’ gun control group for not backing his bill

Assemblyman Bill Essayli, known for creating soundbite-worthy controversies supporting conservative causes, says gun control organizations are “fake leftist groups” because they don’t support his legislation.

The Riverside Republican slammed Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and other groups while advocating for Assembly Bill 3037 during an Assembly Public Safety Committee hearing.

Essayli’s bill would have exempted courts from a requirement to dismiss longer sentences for certain gun violations, “even if it is in the furtherance of justice to do so.”

The committee voted down Essayli’s bill.

The law currently allows judges to add prison time to sentences, based on various factors. The enhancement Essayli’s bill addressed could have added 10 years to 25-years-to-life sentences for the use of a firearm, depending on whether it was loaded, discharged or used to hurt someone. He says his bill was meant to make it easier for courts to keep the enhancement in place.

Those opposing the bill argued judges already have discretion in dismissing sentencing enhancement, and the measure “seeks to carve out an exemption for enhancements regarding the use of firearm.”

Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety have not taken a position on AB 3037, said John Cruz-Olivari, a spokesman for the groups.

But there was anger over Essayli’s characterization of the groups.

“This is not the kind of dialogue we expect from members of the state Assembly and we won’t be intimidated or deterred in our advocacy,” said Cassandra Whitestone, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action, in a statement. “We welcome conversations with elected officials from both sides of the aisle to discuss policies that can save lives from gun violence.”

Lawmakers on the committee said the organizations’ lack of support for the bill gave them pause.

“The thing that is compelling to me is that none of the Brady campaign, Giffords campaign, Everytown (for Gun Safety) or Moms Demand Action are here advocating for this bill,” said Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, D-West Hollywood. “That is very telling for me.”

Essayli this session authored a bill similar to AB 3037 that would have prohibited courts from dismissing firearm enhancements, except in certain situations.

It also died in the Assembly Public Safety Committee, with Essayli expressing the same kind of frustration after the hearing.

On Tuesday, Essayli began slamming the groups even before he appeared before the committee, sharing a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, with photos of Moms Demand members sitting in the hearing room audience and supporting other bills earlier in the day.

“Let’s talk about these phony organizations I see every day in the California Legislature,” his post started.

During his closing remarks during his committee presentation, Essayli said he was not concerned about the gun control groups, saying they are “just interested in curtailing law-abiding citizens’ firearms. That’s my opinion, I can say it.”

After the bill was turned down by the committee, the assemblyman was unrepentant about his statements regarding Moms Demand and other groups, saying he wants to “expose them as a phony group” by “(making) sure the public knows exactly what happened in that room today.”