Overview
- Video that circulated Thursday shows a man holding a paper reading “Allegedly Nick Shirley Has a Small Penis. Prove Me Wrong.” interrupting a street interview of journalist Nick Shirley and mocking him on camera.
- Shirley identified the man as Terry Schanz, chief of staff to Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, and the clip includes a brief scuffle when Shirley grabbed a stack of papers from Schanz.
- The exchange happened while Shirley was questioning lawmakers about AB 2624, the privacy bill aimed at protecting immigrant-run service providers, which reporters say has passed the Legislature and is now on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
- News coverage notes Schanz’s reported taxpayer-funded pay of about $207,800 a year and cites prior controversies tied to his name including a 2025 wrongful-termination lawsuit and accusations of aggressive political behavior.
- Outlet coverage frames the episode differently with some calling the bill the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” and others highlighting staff conduct, and the video has prompted calls for accountability even though Schanz, McKinnor, and the governor’s office had no public responses reported.