A legal battle has emerged in California as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stephen J. Cloobeck has filed a lawsuit against Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The lawsuit, submitted on August 19, 2023, in Riverside Superior Court, claims that Bianco is violating state campaign finance laws by donning his official sheriff’s uniform during political events.
Cloobeck’s complaint highlights several instances captured from Bianco’s social media and campaign website, where he appears in his tan sheriff’s shirt or other collared shirts prominently featuring the sheriff’s badge. “The people of Riverside County and all Californians need to know that their elected sheriff is misusing public funds and is perpetuating the culture of Republican corruption in law enforcement,” Cloobeck stated in a news release. He emphasized that Bianco’s actions amount to using his uniform as a campaign prop and called for accountability.
Bianco’s campaign has responded defiantly, asserting that Cloobeck’s tactics are misguided. “If Democrat Stephen Cloobeck thinks that he can increase his name recognition and Democratic credentials by using legal action against the Sheriff Bianco campaign, then he is sorely mistaken,” the campaign’s statement read. Bianco is currently the leading Republican candidate in the race to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom.
The lawsuit, which spans 13 pages, argues that Bianco’s uniform creates a misleading impression among voters and donors, suggesting that Riverside County has officially endorsed his gubernatorial candidacy. It raises concerns that his uniform may intimidate potential opposition, given his significant law enforcement authority. Cloobeck’s legal filing seeks a court order to prevent Bianco from wearing his uniform while campaigning.
California Government Code Section 3206 explicitly prohibits local agency officers or employees from engaging in political activities while in uniform. Bianco’s campaign has not yet clarified whether he believes his actions fall within legal boundaries.
This is not the first instance of controversy surrounding Bianco’s attire. In June 2024, he endorsed former President Donald Trump while in uniform, during which he made a quip about putting a felon in the White House. Defending his choice of uniform, Bianco stated, “I’m an elected official. And with that, in my personal social media pages, I can do anything that I want.”
Cloobeck, a developer and founder of a vacation timeshare company, has previously engaged in legal action against political rivals. Earlier this year, he filed a suit against Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, claiming trademark infringement over the phrase “problem solver,” which Cloobeck alleged Villaraigosa used despite his own trademark.
As the competition heats up for California’s gubernatorial nomination in the lead-up to the June 2, 2026 primary, a recent poll indicates that Bianco and Democratic candidate Katie Porter are leading, while a significant portion of voters remains undecided. The top two candidates from the primary will advance to the general election in November 2026.
In this politically charged environment, the outcome of Cloobeck’s lawsuit could have implications not only for Bianco’s campaign but also for the broader landscape of California politics.
