1 month ago
The California ultimate tribunal connected Wednesday ordered a region sheriff and gubernatorial campaigner who seized much than half a cardinal 2025 predetermination ballots to region his investigation into predetermination fraud allegations while nan judges reappraisal nan ineligible situation against it.
The bid came aft nan California lawyer general, Rob Bonta, past period asked nan tribunal to measurement in, arguing nan sheriff has nary authority complete predetermination materials. A voting authorities group is besides challenging nan ballot seizure.
The conflict started earlier this twelvemonth and escalated past period erstwhile nan Riverside region sheriff, Chad Bianco, seized 1,000 boxes of predetermination materials to analyse a title from a section citizens group astir nan ballot count from a November 2025 typical predetermination connected redistricting. Local predetermination officials told nan region committee of supervisors that nan title was unfounded. After Bonta ordered Bianco to halt his investigation, nan sheriff seized different 426 boxes of ballots.
Bianco and his agency “are hereby ordered to region nan investigation into nan November 2025 typical predetermination and sphere each seized items”, nan bid reads.
Bonta said nan Wednesday bid was basal to extremity nan sheriff’s inquiry.
“What nan sheriff says and what he does are often 2 different things,” Bonta said successful a statement. “Today’s determination by nan California ultimate tribunal reins successful nan destabilizing actions of a rogue sheriff, prohibiting him from continuing this investigation while our litigation continues.”
Bianco’s agency did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
Bianco is besides 1 of 2 salient Republican gubernatorial candidates successful nan state. He antecedently defended his investigation, noting it was approved by a region judge. The sheriff past week said he had paused nan investigation because of mounting ineligible challenges.
The ballot investigation came arsenic Donald Trump has many times disputed nan results of nan 2020 election, citing unsubstantiated instances of fraud. His management precocious seized ballots and different documents from an predetermination agency successful Georgia. Some Republicans person mirrored Trump’s rhetoric connected voting successful their states.
