A coalition of media organizations has filed a court motion to unseal records related to an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department into alleged election fraud.

Media Coalition Calls for Transparency

On Wednesday, April 1, attorneys representing the media coalition argued that the public’s right to access information about the probe outweighs any justification for keeping the search warrants and supporting documents sealed. The coalition is requesting the release of “all documents and records relating” to the investigation’s three search warrants, as well as associated supporting documentation and “any other judicial records in this matter.”

Who is Involved?

The California Newspapers Partnership, encompassing dozens of California publications including this news organization, is leading the effort. Other members of the coalition include ABC News, CalMatters, CBS News, Fox Television Stations, KCRA/KQCA, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, and The Riverside Record.

Frank Pine, Executive Editor of the Southern California News Group and the Bay Area News Group, stated, “If there is evidence of wrongdoing or vote tampering, there should absolutely be an investigation. But that investigation should be conducted openly and transparently so that the public can be confident in the security and integrity of our elections.”

Investigation Background

The Riverside County Sheriff, Chad Bianco, initiated the investigation following claims of a discrepancy between ballots cast and ballots counted during a recent election. The Riverside Election Integrity Team, a citizen’s election watchdog group, initially reported a roughly 45,000-vote gap.

Conflicting Reports and Search Warrants

Riverside County Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco presented findings to the county Board of Supervisors on February 10, refuting the watchdog group’s audit. Tinoco stated the group used “raw, interim, and imprecise data” and that the actual gap was only 103 votes, within the acceptable margin of error. Despite this, Sheriff Bianco obtained search warrants for Proposition 50 ballots and related materials.

Bianco announced on March 20 that his office, under a court-appointed special master, would recount all ballots to verify the existence of a gap. He stated the case would be closed if no discrepancy was found, and his department would investigate the cause if a gap existed.

Legal Challenges and Disputes

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has challenged the investigation, arguing that the affidavits supporting the search warrants did not demonstrate probable cause for a specific felony offense. Bonta also accuses Bianco of defying directives to coordinate the investigation with his office, citing the state constitution’s authority over sheriffs.

The media coalition’s filing argues that public statements already made by the attorney general and sheriff negate the argument that unsealing the records would cause harm. They also emphasize that once privileged information is made public, the privilege no longer applies. The coalition believes the public deserves access to the facts underlying the investigation, rather than relying on “competing allegations.”