Latest news with #ChadBianco
Epoch Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Groups Sue California County to End Cash Bail System
Two civil rights groups filed a class-action The lawsuit was filed against Riverside County Superior Court, the county, the county sheriff's office, and Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is a Republican candidate for governor.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Civil rights groups sue to end cash bail in Riverside County, alleging dangerous jail conditions
A cadre of civil rights groups brought a lawsuit late Wednesday challenging Riverside County's use of cash bail to detain people as they await trial, citing squalid conditions inside the county's jails where dozens of inmates have died in recent years. The class-action suit is the latest to challenge the legality of cash bail systems in California after a 2021 state Supreme Court ruling found it is unconstitutional to jail defendants solely because of their inability to pay their way out from behind bars. 'Every day, Riverside County imprisons people based on nothing more than their inability to pay an arbitrary, pre-set amount of cash that Defendants demand for their release," attorneys for the civil rights groups argue in the 80-page complaint. 'These individuals are not detained because they are too dangerous to release: The government would release them right away if they could pay. They are detained simply because they are too poor to purchase their freedom.' The suit was brought by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Civil Rights Corps, Public Justice in Oakland and several other law firms on behalf of two people incarcerated in Riverside County jails and two local faith leaders. It names as defendants the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Chad Bianco, the Riverside County Superior Court system and the county. Lt. Deirdre Vickers, a sheriff's department spokesperson, said she could not comment on pending litigation, as did a representative for the county court system. The county executive's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. While the suit argues money bail is unconstitutional across California and seeks an injunction ending its use, attorneys said they are focusing on Riverside County following a spate of deaths in the jails in 2022. That year, Riverside County recorded 18 inmate fatalities, the highest number in a decade. The following year, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, a Democrat, opened what remains an ongoing investigation into complaints about living conditions in the county jails and allegations that deputies use excessive force against detainees. Inmate deaths have fallen since 2022. The county reported 13 jail fatalities in 2023 and six last year, according to Vickers. Bianco — a law-and-order conservative who has joined a crowded field of Democrats to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom in the 2026 election — has previously dismissed the state's investigation into his jails as politically motivated. Bianco maintains the jail deaths, many of which authorities attribute to drug overdoses and suicides, are a reflection of the inmates' life choices rather than a sign of any problem with the jail system. 'Every single one of these inmate deaths was out of anyone's control,' Bianco said after news of the state investigation broke. 'The fact of the matter is that they just happened to be in our custody.' The cash bail system has deep roots in the U.S. as a means of pressuring defendants to show up for scheduled court appearances. Attend trial, and the sizable cash payments are returned to you or your family; skip court, and you forfeit your deposit. Critics argue it effectively creates a two-tiered justice system, allowing wealthy defendants to pay their way out while awaiting trial, and leaving low-income defendants stuck behind bars. Proponents of eliminating the bail system contend that decisions about whether to jail defendants ahead of trial should be based on the severity of their crimes and the risk they pose to public safety, and not hinge on their income status. Brian Hardingham, a senior attorney with Public Justice, said people sometimes spend days in jail awaiting their first court appearance, only for a prosecutor to decline to file a case presented by local police. That stint behind bars can have an outsize effect on people's lives, especially if they are low-income, Hardingham said. 'You meet people with 6-month-old kids in jail who, if they're lucky, there is a partner or a parent or someone who can watch their kids," he said, adding that even a brief stretch in a county jail can result in people losing their job, vehicle or even their residence. Supporters of the cash bail system, including many law enforcement groups, say that doing away with it would leave too many defendants free to potentially flee and re-offend, leading to crime spikes. Read more: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco enters the 2026 California governor's race The issue grew increasingly controversial during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the virus spread with deadly consequences through the state's jails and prisons. Los Angeles County instituted a zero-bail policy for most offenses in 2020, trying to reduce jail crowding at a time when the virus was spreading rapidly. That policy was rescinded in June 2022. Despite concerns from police groups, a 2023 report to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors showed re-arrest and failure-to-appear rates remained relatively static among those freed pre-trial while the zero-bail policy was in place. A similar lawsuit to the one filed against Riverside County prompted Los Angeles County court officials to revise their bail policies in 2023. Under the new system, the vast majority of defendants accused of misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies are now cited and released, or freed under specified conditions after a judge reviews their case. Defendants accused of serious offenses, including murder, manslaughter, rape and most types of assault, still face a stiff cash bail schedule. Fears that the new system would result in a crime spike have not been borne out. Total crime in areas patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department fell by about 2% in 2024, the first calendar year the reduced bail policy was in place, according to department data. The city of Los Angeles has seen significant decreases in the number of robberies, property crimes and aggravated assaults committed this year, as of mid-May, records show. Given the 2021 state Supreme Court ruling and the changes in Los Angeles, Hardingham said he is hopeful other counties will shift their bail policies without having to engage in a court fight. "We would hope that they would be willing to see the writing on the wall and make the changes that are necessary," he said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Civil rights groups sue to end cash bail in Riverside County, alleging dangerous jail conditions
A cadre of civil rights groups brought a lawsuit late Wednesday challenging Riverside County's use of cash bail to detain people as they await trial, citing squalid conditions inside the county's jails where dozens of inmates have died in recent years. The class-action suit is the latest to challenge the legality of cash bail systems in California after a 2021 state Supreme Court ruling found it is unconstitutional to jail defendants solely because of their inability to pay their way out from behind bars. 'Every day, Riverside County imprisons people based on nothing more than their inability to pay an arbitrary, pre-set amount of cash that Defendants demand for their release,' attorneys for the civil rights groups argue in the 80-page complaint. 'These individuals are not detained because they are too dangerous to release: The government would release them right away if they could pay. They are detained simply because they are too poor to purchase their freedom.' The suit was brought by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Civil Rights Corps, Public Justice in Oakland and several other law firms on behalf of two people incarcerated in Riverside County jails and two local faith leaders. It names as defendants the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Chad Bianco, the Riverside County Superior Court system and the county. Lt. Deirdre Vickers, a sheriff's department spokesperson, said she could not comment on pending litigation, as did a representatives for the county court system. The county executive's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. While the suit argues money bail is unconstitutional across California and seeks an injunction ending its use, attorneys said they are focusing on Riverside County following a spate of deaths in the jails in 2022. That year, Riverside County recorded 18 inmate fatalities, the highest number in a decade. The following year, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, a Democrat, opened what remains an ongoing investigation into complaints about living conditions in the county jails and allegations that deputies use excessive force against detainees. Inmate deaths have fallen since 2022. The county reported 13 jail fatalities in 2023 and six last year, according to Vickers. Bianco — a law-and-order conservative who has joined a crowded field of Democrats to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom in the 2026 election — has previously dismissed the state's investigation into his jails as politically motivated. Bianco maintains the jail deaths, many of which authorities attribute to drug overdoses and suicides, are a reflection of the inmates' life choices rather than a sign of any problem with the jail system. 'Every single one of these inmate deaths was out of anyone's control,' Bianco said after news of the state investigation broke. 'The fact of the matter is that they just happened to be in our custody.' The cash bail system has deep roots in the U.S. as a means of pressuring defendants to show up for scheduled court appearances. Attend trial, and the sizable cash payments are returned to you or your family; skip court, and you forfeit your deposit. Critics argue it effectively creates a two-tiered justice system, allowing wealthy defendants to pay their way out while awaiting trial, and leaving low-income defendants stuck behind bars. Proponents of eliminating the bail system contend that decisions about whether to jail defendants ahead of trial should be based on the severity of their crimes and the risk they pose to public safety, and not hinge on their income status. Brian Hardingham, a senior attorney with Public Justice, said people sometimes spend days in jail awaiting their first court appearance, only for a prosecutor to decline to file a case presented by local police. That stint behind bars can have an outsize effect on people's lives, especially if they are low-income, Hardingham said. 'You meet people with 6-month-old kids in jail who, if they're lucky, there is a partner or a parent or someone who can watch their kids,' he said, adding that even a brief stretch in a county jail can result in people losing their job, vehicle or even their residence. Supporters of the cash bail system, including many law enforcement groups, say that doing away with it would leave too many defendants free to potentially flee and re-offend, leading to crime spikes. The issue grew increasingly controversial during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the virus spread with deadly consequences through the state's jails and prisons. Los Angeles County instituted a zero bail policy for most offenses in 2020, trying to reduce jail crowding at a time when the virus was spreading rapidly. That policy was rescinded in June 2022. Despite concerns from police groups, a 2023 report to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors showed re-arrest and failure-to-appear rates remained relatively static among those freed pre-trial while the zero-bail policy was in place. A similar lawsuit to the one filed against Riverside County prompted Los Angeles County court officials to revise their bail policies in 2023. Under the new system, the vast majority of defendants accused of misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies are now cited and released, or freed under specified conditions after a judge reviews their case. Defendants accused of serious offenses, including murder, manslaughter, rape and most types of assault, still face a stiff cash bail schedule. Fears that the new system would result in a crime spike have not been borne out. Total crime in areas patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department fell by about 2% in 2024, the first calendar year the reduced bail policy was in place, according to department data. The city of Los Angeles has seen significant decreases in the number of robberies, property crimes and aggravated assaults committed this year, as of mid-May, records show. Given the 2021 state Supreme Court ruling and the changes in Los Angeles, Hardingham said he is hopeful other counties will shift their bail policies without having to engage in a court fight. 'We would hope that they would be willing to see the writing on the wall and make the changes that are necessary,' he said.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Kamala Harris gets VERY embarrassing endorsement to run for governor of California
As speculation swirls around whether Kamala Harris will make a bid for governor of California, she has received support from the most unlikely source - California Republicans. 'I sense that this is the best shot for someone to be elected statewide in California who's not a Democrat for at least 20 years, and I think the evident reason for that is the failure of one-party rule,' conservative commentator Steve Hilton declared in a recent fundraising email. 'The candidate who's going to win in 2026, regardless of party label, is the change candidate. Kamala Harris is the one who least represents change.' With Governor Gavin Newsom term-limited out in 2026, Harris has remained coy about her future, teasing in an April appearance, 'I'll see you out there. I'm not going anywhere.' Across GOP circles, the prospect of Harris entering the race is being openly celebrated for what it promises Republican candidates. From political consultants to fringe MAGA influencers, a Harris candidacy is being treated as a golden opportunity to rile up donors, energize disaffected voters, and, perhaps most crucially, draw national attention to an otherwise unwinnable contest. 'I'd jump for joy,' Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told supporters. 'She's the perfect example of everything Californians are sick of - soft on crime, blind to our problems, and more focused on DC than Main Street.' Republican strategist Dave Gilliard agreed, saying her entry would be a dream scenario. 'I think it could attract some donors from around the country who might be interested in taking another pound of flesh,' Republican political consultant Dave Gilliard said to Politico. 'Money is the biggest obstacle other than the registration because the donor world doesn't think a Republican can be elected governor anymore.' Even Elon Musk's name has been floated as a possible wildcard donor. The former vice president has given herself until late summer to decide whether to run. The billionaire has sparred with Harris on social media and publicly blasted her support for diversity policies and social justice causes. While Musk hasn't weighed in directly, insiders suggest his disdain for Harris could reignite his interest in California politics. There's a reason Harris evokes such a visceral response from the right. Her tenure as vice president was marked by relentless attacks from Donald Trump and conservative media. Her prosecutorial past has been dissected from both the left and the right and her 2024 loss to Trump, after stepping in as the Democratic nominee following Biden's withdrawal, mean she is toxic when it comes to elections. 'She's had her chance,' said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. 'Democrats must turn elsewhere for leadership.' But Republican messaging is far from subtle. 'This is our shot,' Hilton told supporters. 'She'll clear the Democratic field, but we'll get to define her - and she's already underwater.' Indeed, while Harris trounced Trump in California in 2024, she underperformed Joe Biden's 2020 numbers, particularly among Latinos and swing voters in purple counties. 'She won two statewide elections, and she won in California when she was running for president,' Bianco said. 'But those votes didn't go to Kamala Harris. Those votes went against Donald Trump.' California's infamous 'jungle primary' system means that Harris wouldn't necessarily face a Republican in the general election. 'I'd jump for joy,' Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, pictured, told supporters (if Kamala Harris ran). 'She's the perfect example of everything Californians are sick of - soft on crime, blind to our problems, and more focused on DC than Main Street.' All candidates compete in a single open primary, and the top two vote-getters - regardless of party - advance. That means Harris could be forced into a brutal head-to-head with another Democrat in the general. Already, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former Rep. Katie Porter, and Xavier Becerra are eyeing the race. At least some, however, are expected to bow out if Harris runs. 'She's got the résumé - but so do a lot of people who've lost,' said Republican consultant Kevin Madden. 'What she doesn't have is momentum.' And Democratic strategist Eric Jaye cautioned against viewing the race as a coronation. 'She's polarizing, and not just with Republicans. Democrats have questions too.' If Harris were to run, she'd inherit a California in turmoil. The state is facing a $12 billion deficit, wildfires are worsening, homelessness remains a humanitarian crisis, and home insurance markets are collapsing. 'Why the hell would you want this job?' Newsom himself quipped on the Next Up with Mark Halperin podcast. 'You need a burning 'why.' If you can't enunciate that, don't do it.' While Harris has nearly universal name recognition, an elite fundraising machine, and deep institutional ties, she also carries a historic loss to Donald Trump, middling approval ratings, and a political brand that has never quite caught fire. 'If she's beatable (and if she runs), it won't be by a Republican. But Republicans can still turn her candidacy into a weapon,' Democratic consultant Dan Newman explained. 'For now at least, Republicans can't win statewide.' Even if Harris wins, Republicans are ready to claim a different kind of victory.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP governor hopeful Sheriff Chad Bianco wows friendly crowd in Bakersfield
He was the second Republican gubernatorial candidate to come to Bakersfield within the past week. And while there's still 17 months to go before California elects a new governor in November 2026, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seemed happy to be planting his flag for the Sacramento statehouse right here in Bakersfield. "I will start by saying I'm an unapologetic, God-fearing, freedom-loving, patriotic American," Bianco said to cheers from more than 200 members and guests of Bakersfield Republican Women Federated, which hosted the event Tuesday afternoon at Seven Oaks Country Club. The Golden State is at a pivotal time in its history, and it's critical, he said, that Republicans take back the governorship. Bianco grew up in a tiny town in Utah, and came to California in 1989 to achieve what he called "the California Dream," a goal he said he achieved, thanks to his wife and family — and landing the perfect job. "At the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, I have 4,400 employees, we have 17 contract cities that we contract law enforcement services with," Bianco told the gathering. "I have six county jails, I have 16 county courthouses. I'm also the public administrator and the county coroner. It's an extremely large operation," he said. "My operating budget is $1.2 billion." In introducing Bianco to the Bakersfield audience, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Bianco is the right person at the right time for California. "I'm proud to be here today. I didn't have to be here," Youngblood said. "But I think so much of Chad Bianco. I think he would be the greatest governor that we've ever had." Bianco slammed what he called the liberal agenda, a world of bad choices in the justice system, overregulation and taxation. "If you ask a 5-year-old or a 90-year-old what is the responsibility of law enforcement, both of them are going to say, 'Arrest bad guys and put 'em in jail,'" he said. "That is what you do. "You ask anyone in the middle, and you get all political and you don't know what the answer is because you get emotionally involved instead of common sense and reason, and you lose track of what we are supposed to be doing." When Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he would not run for reelection, Bianco said he watched as a number of Democrats began lining up for the job. "California is the most unfriendly business state in the country, and all of the people that are responsible for that are now running for governor," he said. "There were nine Democrats who had already announced they were running for governor when I decided I was going to run." Later he asked a question of the partisan audience: "Are any of you happy with California?" "No!" came the answer in unison. Bianco did take a swipe at Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and adviser to U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron who spoke to another group of Bakersfield Republicans last week. "He's not a leader," Bianco said of Hilton. Bianco also offered a question and answer session, and when he ran out of time he spoke with people individually outside the country club's banquet room. David Hartley, an independent oil producer in Kern, Tulare and Fresno counties, told Bianco that upon entering office, Newsom vowed to put local independent producers out of business. "Bianco's rhetoric matches up with his overall strategy on oil and ag," Hartley said. "I would just need to see details." He would need to see what Bianco actually knows. "Does he and his team understand what needs to be done," Hartley said, "to turn this ship around?"
