Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said Monday that his office is temporarily halting its election fraud investigation as legal challenges surrounding the case continue to unfold.
Bianco has described the pause as a response to what he called “politically motivated lawsuits and court filings,” according to multiple media reports.
The move comes as California Attorney General Rob Bonta pushes forward with a petition before the state Supreme Court in the case Attorney General v. Bianco. The filing seeks, among other things, to ensure that ballots and election materials taken from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters are preserved and returned.
A spokesperson for Bonta’s office told the Los Angeles Times that officials are continuing efforts in both the California Supreme Court and Riverside County Superior Court to enforce compliance and secure the return of the seized ballots.
Separately, the UCLA Voting Rights Project has also petitioned the state’s high court, arguing that California law requires all ballots to remain under the custody of the county registrar.
Bianco’s attorney, Murrieta-based Robert Tyler, told the Los Angeles Times that the sheriff is waiting for the courts to weigh in on what he described as complex legal questions, including the balance of authority between branches of government.
The investigation has drawn increasing scrutiny, particularly as Bianco campaigns for governor. Critics have accused him of pursuing claims of election fraud without sufficient evidence.
During a March 20 press conference, Bianco addressed questions about the probe, which centers on alleged irregularities tied to the Nov. 4 special election in Riverside County. That election resulted in the passage of Proposition 50, which redrew California’s congressional districts and was approved locally with 56.29% of more than 657,000 ballots cast.
Bianco had opposed the measure, and a third-party activist group later alleged discrepancies in the county’s ballot count — claims that Riverside County Registrar Art Tinoco has strongly denied.
Beginning Feb. 9, sheriff’s deputies served search warrants at the registrar’s office, seizing ballots and related election materials. Investigators began reviewing those ballots before a judge appointed a special master to oversee the process.
Bonta has argued in court filings that sheriff’s personnel lack the training and experience necessary to handle ballot counting. He also alleged that hundreds of additional boxes of election materials were seized in recent weeks.
The controversy has also taken on a political dimension. Opponents of Bianco have pointed to his support for former President Donald Trump and suggested the investigation may be tied to broader political ambitions.
In comments to the New York Times, former California Republican Party executive director Jon Fleischman said the timing of the probe raises questions, noting that it comes just months ahead of a statewide election.
California’s primary election is scheduled for June 2.
