1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I’m writing to ask you to support SB 627 and SB 805, both of which relate to requiring identification of law enforcement officials operating in California. I am a strong believer in open government, and the policing power of government is one of the strongest ways in which government imposes its will on the people. We live in a constitutional democracy and its citizens have a right to know when they are interacting with agents of the state, and who those agents are. By passing these laws, California will send a strong message and impose enforcement requirements to ensure that no secret police can operate within this state. The recent use of private “contractors” by federal officials to kidnap and disappear California residents without due process has made this even more urgent. I don’t want to hear about the supremacy clause. I want to force the federal officials to defend their unconstitutional seizure of power, not with the point of a gun, but in a court of law. We cannot live in a free society if masked and anonymous individuals are abducting people off the streets. For this reason I urge you to immediately pass these two bills.