No. California's restrictions haven't been "The most sweeping restrictions on liberty ever seen" no matter how charitably you approach and scope the claim. I entirely stand by my opinion that it's absurd to state that.

There exists entirely plausible interpretations of "sweeping" that place the california restrictions above the examples you cited. The draft only targeted males of specific ages, the sedition act removes a much "smaller" set of rights...etc

To be clear, I think the WSG claim is hyperbole. However it is a claim that could be reasonably argued to be correct and is thus not literally "absurd". Thus I would class is as hyperbolic and your use of the word as figurative.