California Attorney General Rob Bonta is asking a California court to stop the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s effort to recount ballots from the 2025 special election. The move was an unprecedented move by Republican Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Democrat running for governor, who seized roughly 650,000 ballots and began a recount of votes. The state Justice Department had previously ordered the sheriff's department to suspend its work due to "grave concerns" over the legality of the criminal investigation. Bontta has accused Bianco of making sworn statements to a Riverside County judge to obtain warrants allowing him to seize the ballots, but these statements cannot be judged by the public as they are under seal. The lawsuit, filed in the 4th District Court of Appeal, asks that the court intervene to prevent further abuse of the legal process.