I believe the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act (Cal. Civ. Code § 52.1) squarely exposes Trump and his administration to liability, because it allows any person to sue when “by threats, intimidation, or coercion,” someone interferes with rights secured under federal or state law—even if the wrongful acts don’t include violence or discriminatory intent.
In my opinion, the administration’s threats to deputize local law enforcement to suppress lawful protest, or coercive rhetoric aimed at deterring peaceful assembly and free speech, meet the statute’s low threshold: a reasonable person would feel intimidated or coerced from exercising their constitutional rights .
This is not about proving animus or prejudice, it’s about conduct that chills legally protected conduct. As a result, any official or agency involved in those coercive acts could be sued, including for damages, injunctive relief, and attorneys’ fees, as the Act empowers aggrieved citizens to hold even the most powerful government actors accountable.
I believe the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act (Cal. Civ. Code § 52.1) squarely exposes Trump and his administration to liability, because it allows any person to sue when “by threats, intimidation, or coercion,” someone interferes with rights secured under federal or state law—even if the wrongful acts don’t include violence or discriminatory intent.
In my opinion, the administration’s threats to deputize local law enforcement to suppress lawful protest, or coercive rhetoric aimed at deterring peaceful assembly and free speech, meet the statute’s low threshold: a reasonable person would feel intimidated or coerced from exercising their constitutional rights .
This is not about proving animus or prejudice, it’s about conduct that chills legally protected conduct. As a result, any official or agency involved in those coercive acts could be sued, including for damages, injunctive relief, and attorneys’ fees, as the Act empowers aggrieved citizens to hold even the most powerful government actors accountable.