Democratic staffer interrupts reporter with vulgar sign while earning $200K salary
Terry Schanz, a chief of staff earning over $200,000 in public funds, disrupted Nick Shirley’s interview outside the California State Capitol with a sign mocking the reporter’s anatomy.
During a sidewalk interview outside the California State Capitol, reporter Nick Shirley was probing legislators about Assembly Bill 2624, a measure aimed at shielding immigrant-service providers from online harassment. At that moment, Terry Schanz, chief of staff to Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor and a $200,000-plus taxpayer employee, stormed the scene brandishing a sign that alleged Shirley had a small penis and challenged him to prove otherwise.
Schanz, who receives $17,319 each month, has earlier been mentioned in a 2025 wrongful-termination suit and faced criticism from moderates and conservatives for alleged bullying within Assembly leadership. Shirley responded with sarcasm and eventually seized the papers, prompting Schanz to demand their return. The bill, written by Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, has cleared the legislature and is pending Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision by the end of September. The incident underscores tensions within California’s Democratic ranks and raises questions about the conduct of publicly funded officials.
Why it matters
The stunt spotlights concerns about the behavior of high-paid public officials and ongoing disputes over a privacy bill affecting immigrant communities.
In this story
