RIVERSIDE—On Monday, August 24, the California Supreme Court heard arguments concerning election fraud in Riverside, County where Sheriff Chad Bianco seized close to 650,000 ballots. Upon learning that Bianco took custody of the ballots, Attorney General Rob Bonta immediately ordered an end to Bianco’s investigation.
The California legislature immediately passed Senate Bill 73 which forbids local law enforcement to investigate suspicions of voter fraud. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law.
Sheriff Bianco contends that the ballots were seized following a complaint received in his office. “I did this, and it was legal,” Sheriff Bianco stated. Bianco’s attorney, Bradley Hertz told reporters that, “The Sheriff is holding that evidence, safeguarding it as a custodian for the court.”
On August 11, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Kash Patel, and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bilal Essayli, requesting an investigation into alleged voter fraud in Los Angeles.
The letter followed a committee hearing between Homeland Security and Government Affairs. James O’Keefe, CEO of O’Keefe Media Group testified he was in receipt of a series of videos showing petition flyers offering to pay the homeless with cash, cigarettes, and marijuana for their signatures on certain ballot measures.
“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for the Trump Administration to try to make it harder for Americans to vote. But today’s decision was not ruling on merits, and this fight is far from over. As I have said from the beginning, the U.S. Constitution gives the President no authority over how states administer their elections. We will continue to use every single tool at our disposal to fight back against unlawful federal overreach whenever it occurs,” Bonta stated on August 24.
AG Bonta and Governor Newsom are dealing with hundreds of lawsuits filed against President Donald Trump, where those funds could be used to house the homeless or rebuild from wildfires.
ABC10 reported that California has spent nearly $30 million on litigation against the Trump Administration since 2025.
A report released by the office of Bonta indicated that the California Department of Justice drew $19.2 million from an auxiliary state fund specifically designated to combat federal policies. State officials confirmed the total legal costs are nearly $30 million to cover the full scope of litigation.
The individuals paid for signatures were reportedly unhoused individuals living on Skid Row. According to the LA County Homeless Services Skid Row Action Plan: Los Angeles County received a $60 million state grant designed to move about 2,500 unhoused individuals into housing and care over 3 years.
