Timothy Michael Donnelly (born May 9, 1966) is an American Republican politician who was a member of the California State Assembly, representing the 59th and 33rd districts.
[2] On January 22, 2013, Donnelly announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for Governor of California in the 2014 election.
He placed third in the open primary, behind incumbent governor Jerry Brown and investment banker Neel Kashkari, who contested the election in November 2014.
[14] In September 2012, Donnelly spoke at an anti-vaccine movement "Medical Freedom Rally" with actor Rob Schneider, urging Governor Jerry Brown to veto AB 2109,[15][16] legislation that required parents seeking an exemption for vaccination of their children "to first talk with a health care provider about the risks and benefits of vaccines.
[19][20] One day after Brown signed the bill into law, Donnelly—who by this point had left the state legislature and become a conservative talk radio host—filed paperwork to begin signature-gathering in an attempt to place a referendum on the November 2016 California ballot to reverse the legislation.
The law prevents "local entities from knowingly using state funds ... to engage in any activity that aids an agency of the Armed Forces of the United States in the detention of any person within California for purposes of implementing Sections 1021" of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.
The bill achieved overwhelming, bipartisan support in the California Legislature, and was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.
"[25] On January 4, 2012, Donnelly had a loaded Colt handgun while attempting to board an airplane at Ontario International Airport in San Bernardino.
Primary Republican opponent Neel Kashkari reacted with a statement, ""Once again Assemblyman Donnelly's comments are outrageous and divisive.
[32][31] Representative Darrell Issa, Republican of California, said: "As far as I'm concerned, this type of stupidity disqualifies Tim Donnelly from being fit to hold any office, anywhere.
In 2015, Donnelly claimed that President Barack Obama was "secretly following" Islam and that he wanted to see the United States punished.
[36] He finished third in the blanket primary behind Cook and Democrat Rita Ramirez, with 20.7% of the vote, thereby failing to advance to the general election.
He also supports repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, ending mandatory vaccinations, and originalism.
During his campaign announcement in October 2017, Donnelly criticized members of Congress for their alleged failure to support the agenda of President Trump.
In 2019, incumbent Republican Paul Cook announced that he will run for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in 2020 rather than seek reelection.
Donnelly came third in the blanket primary, behind Republican Jay Obernolte and Democrat Christine Bubser, thereby failing to advance to the general election.
[39] In a satirical segment entitled Difference Makers, Donnelly and his Minutemen group were videotaped building a small fence along the United States border with Mexico.