CA Sheriff Doubles Down On Seizing Ballots As State Supreme Court Deliberates

The sheriff’s statement represents his allegation about the evidence and does not, by itself, establish that the certified statewide election result was incorrect.

The California Supreme Court dispute currently centers on Bianco’s authority to seize and retain the ballots.

Bonta launched his legal challenge against Bianco in March, demanding that the sheriff return the election materials.

The UCLA Voting Rights Project separately challenged Bianco’s actions.

The Democratic attorney general maintains that California law gives his office supervisory authority over local sheriffs and argues that Bianco ignored that authority by refusing to comply with the demand.

“This is a sheriff that – despite the clear language in the California constitution, and in California government code, providing me direct supervision, authority over him – failed to comply with it,” Bonta told reporters Monday.

“He can read, he knows what it says, it makes his violations even more egregious,” Bonta added.

Bianco strongly disputes Bonta’s interpretation of the law, arguing that the attorney general’s supervisory authority does not give him the power to shut down a legitimate investigation.

“If you take it word for word, in that context, it means that he has direct authority that if I’m not doing my job he can order me to do it and if I don’t do it he can do it for me. But he cannot stop an investigation,” Bianco charged.

That disagreement has now placed two powerful California law enforcement officials on opposite sides of a consequential legal battle: Bonta says Bianco exceeded his authority, while the sheriff argues he would be abandoning his law enforcement responsibilities if he surrendered potential evidence before his investigation was complete.