California Supreme Court Orders "Rogue" Sheriff To Pause Election Fraud Probe

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has been ordered by the California Supreme Court to halt his investigation into alleged 2025 election fraud. The court will review legal challenges to Bianco's probe. Bianco, a Republican and candidate for California governor, had seized over half a million 2025 election ballots and an additional 1,000 boxes of election materials. Local election officials stated his actions were unfounded. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, requested the court's intervention, asserting Bianco lacked the authority to seize the ballots. The Supreme Court instructed Bianco and his team to pause the investigation and preserve all seized items. Bonta characterized the ruling as reining in a "rogue Sheriff" and preventing destabilizing actions. Governor Gavin Newsom praised the decision as a victory for democracy and the rule of law. Newsom criticized Bianco's investigation as chasing conspiracy theories and attempting to undermine elections, linking it to election denialism. Bianco has a 30-year law enforcement career and was elected sheriff in 2018, later entering the gubernatorial race.