California Court Orders Public Release of Warrants in Riverside Ballot Seizure Investigation

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:47:00 +0200

A California court has ordered the public release of warrants used by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to seize over 650,000 ballots during an investigation into alleged election fraud from the 2025 election. The warrants, previously secret, were challenged by media organizations seeking transparency. Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized the warrants as deficient, stating that they lacked probable cause or evidence linking specific individuals to criminal activity. The California Supreme Court has issued a stay on the investigation, requiring all seized materials to be preserved. Sheriff Bianco, a Republican gubernatorial candidate and supporter of former President Trump, initially continued the probe despite legal challenges but has now suspended it pending review. Election experts and officials have dismissed claims of widespread fraud, noting a negligible discrepancy of just 103 votes. The situation has raised legal and political concerns, as well as debates over the misuse of