A California state senator fighting to throw pedophiles into prison for longer has blasted progressive members of her own party for trying to water down the new law, declaring: “I’m done with us.”
Democratic Sen. Susan Eggman, who reps part of San Joaquin County just outside San Francisco, gave the fiery speech on the Senate floor last Thursday when lawmakers were weighing legislation that would make it a felony to purchase or solicit a minor for commercial sex in the Golden State.
“I’d like to say as a progressive, proud member of this body for the last 12 years, I’m done. I’m done with us protecting people who would buy and abuse our children. I’m done,” said Eggman, 63.
“I don’t want to send more black and brown men to prison. I don’t want more people in prison, but I don’t want people buying girls. I don’t want people buying little girls anymore. I’m tired of saying it’s okay and that we have to protect the men who do it.”
Under California law, buying or soliciting sex from a child is a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of between two days and a year in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Bill 1414 — which was authored by GOP state Sen. Shannon Grove and supported by Eggman — aims to beef up that penalty to at least two to four years in prison, as well as a sex offender registration.
Last month, some Democrats had watered down the bill to only allow the felony classification for the purchase of minors under the age of 16, KCRA reported at the time.
“I am not arguing that we open the gates to flood our prisons with people, but I am arguing that we have a moral responsibility to say, ‘Enough, enough,'” Eggman said last week as the issue returned to the Senate.
“We have given away enough on this area and we’ve got to move back into the center or we all look like fools and laughingstocks.”
“A lot of these kids can be throwaway kids. They’re poor kids, they’re kids of color, but they shouldn’t have to live a life determined by what happens to them by others at a very young age and have the Democratic Party of California say, ‘It’s okay,'” she continued.
“It’s not okay. And I’m not doing it anymore. And I hope none of you do too. We have to be able to draw a line.”
The bill, for which Gov. Gavin Newsom signaled support, passed 36-0 and is headed to the state Assembly.
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