Political speech, timestamped and in context

Rob Bonta: “A sheriff in Riverside illegally seized 650,000 ballots.”

Featuring: Rob Bonta, Democratic | Attorney General of California

JUST IN: California AG Rob Bonta Briefs Press On Election Security As Mail-In Ballots Get Sent Out

Published October 5, 2026

My fellow attorneys general and I have been in close contact and are ready to take action against any new attempt to restrict voter rights. And here at home, when A sheriff in Riverside illegally seized 650,000 ballots. We won a court order requiring him to return those ballots to election officials where they belong, from where they have should never have been removed. (03:00–03:07)

STATEMENT

Asserts that a sheriff in Riverside unlawfully took possession of ballots.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

See the main statements from Rob Bonta in this video

“A federal judge rejected the government's demand for what the court called an unprecedented amount of personal information it was seeking on nearly 23 million Californians.”
Asserts that a federal judge ruled against the government's request for personal information on Californians.02:21-02:31
“The Trump administration is using your federal tax dollars to run political ads, and that's wrong and it's unlawful.”
Asserts that the Trump administration unlawfully uses federal tax dollars for political ads.15:42-15:52
“We've had to take them to court 97 times when they've broken the law.”
Asserts that legal action was taken 97 times against the Trump administration for breaking the law.17:16-17:20
“Every county in California has to start mailing mail-in ballots by today.”
Asserts that California law requires counties to mail ballots by a specific date.00:17-00:23
“They [companies] are responsible for what happens next, including being responsible for the IA agents escaping their contained environment.”
Asserts that companies are responsible for the actions of IA agents escaping containment.00:25-28:41
“When the Trump administration tried to use the postal service to take control of mail voting just weeks before this election, we took them to court.”
Asserts that Rob Bonta's office took legal action against the Trump administration's attempt to control mail voting.01:20-01:29
“The Trump administration went on to lose at the US Supreme Court, too.”
Asserts that the Trump administration lost a case at the US Supreme Court regarding mail voting.01:34-01:38
“Voting by mail is fully available to all Californians.”
Asserts that mail voting is accessible to all voters in California.01:50-01:55
“When President Trump tried to impose sweeping voting restrictions, like requiring documentary proof citizenship to register to vote, we sued and we won.”
Asserts that Rob Bonta's office successfully sued against voting restrictions proposed by President Trump.02:07-02:17
“The California Supreme Court also affirmed my authority to supervise county sheriffs.”
Asserts that the California Supreme Court confirmed Rob Bonta's authority over county sheriffs.03:15-03:21
“Governor Newsom signed two bills that I sponsored to better protect our elections.”
Asserts that Governor Newsom signed election protection bills sponsored by Rob Bonta.03:23-03:29
“AB 1664 requires county elections officials to alert my office right away if they receive a warrant or subpoena for election material.”
Asserts that AB 1664 mandates election officials to notify Rob Bonta's office about warrants or subpoenas.03:29-03:41
“SB 1418 makes it a crime to take ballots or voting equipment from election officials going forward.”
Asserts that SB 1418 criminalizes the unauthorized removal of ballots or voting equipment.03:43-03:52
“There's no role for immigration enforcement at the polls.”
Asserts that immigration enforcement is prohibited at polling places.04:45-04:50
“Armed people, including ICE, National Guard, the military are not allowed [at voting stations and polling stations].”
Asserts that federal law prohibits armed personnel like ICE and the military at polling stations.04:51-04:58
“Mail in voting is safe. Mail in voting is secure.”
Asserts that mail-in voting is both safe and secure.05:39-05:43
“Ballot drop boxes open today and you'll find them throughout our communities, including at all public libraries, vote centers and Voters Choice act counties.”
Asserts that ballot drop boxes are available at public libraries, vote centers, and Voters Choice Act counties.07:04-07:16
“Vote centers and Voters Choice act counties... open for early in person voting on Saturday, October 24th.”
Asserts that early in-person voting begins on October 24th at vote centers and Voters Choice Act counties.07:11-07:26
“Every voter in California is protected by the California Voter Bill of Rights.”
Asserts that California voters are protected by the California Voter Bill of Rights.07:55-08:00
“You also have the right to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity.”
Asserts that voters have the right to report illegal or fraudulent election activity.08:11-08:16
“Report it to my office, your county elections office, and or the Secretary of State's confidential toll free voter hotline at 800-345-VOTE.”
Provides the hotline number for reporting election issues.08:15-08:32
“I want Californians to know and to trust that their votes will be protected, defended, their rights will be upheld, and that election laws will be enforced.”
Asserts commitment to protecting and enforcing voting rights and election laws in California.11:31-11:41
“The United States Department of Justice found fit to send election monitors to a number of polling places [in California]... in 2025.”
Asserts that the U.S. DOJ sent election monitors to California polling places in 2025.13:28-13:28
“We expect and are planning for [election monitors] to happen again.”
Asserts expectation and preparation for election monitors in future elections.13:44-13:47
“The elections clause of the United States Constitution tells us who determines the time, place and manner of elections. And that's the states and Congress, not the federal executive branch, not the president or his administration.”
Asserts that the U.S. Constitution assigns election oversight to states and Congress, not the federal executive.14:46-14:59
“He [Sheriff Bianco] was summarily slapped down by the California Supreme Court.”
Asserts that the California Supreme Court ruled against Sheriff Bianco.15:51-19:26
“He [Sheriff Bianco] acted illegally, that he acted unlawfully, that he seized ballots and removed them from the custody control of the local elections official.”
Asserts that Sheriff Bianco unlawfully seized ballots from local election officials.15:51-19:37
“He [Sheriff Bianco] was forced to return the ballots and all other materials.”
Asserts that Sheriff Bianco was compelled to return unlawfully seized ballots.15:51-20:28
“There are prohibitions against the use of federal tax dollars for this purpose for, you know, for propaganda and for advancing a political cause.”
Asserts that federal tax dollars cannot be used for propaganda or political causes.16:17-16:26
“There will be criminal consequences for seizing ballots in this type of scenario.”
Asserts that future unlawful ballot seizures will have criminal consequences.20:51-20:58
“He will face criminal consequences if he didn't follow my binding directives after he was ordered by the California Supreme Court to follow them and to return ballots.”
Asserts that failure to follow directives from the California Supreme Court can lead to criminal consequences.21:06-21:14
“In California, we support trans community, our laws support the trans community in all sorts of different scenarios and manifestations.”
Asserts that California laws support the trans community in various scenarios.22:16-22:27
“Everyone's going to receive a vote by mail ballot, in the mail, who's eligible and registered to vote.”
Asserts that all eligible and registered voters in California will receive a vote-by-mail ballot.23:13-23:18
“We have issued subpoenas to OpenAI. We've made them public.”
Asserts that subpoenas have been issued to OpenAI and made public.24:51-24:57
“We're interested in the cybersecurity incidents that OpenAI has disclosed.”
Asserts interest in investigating cybersecurity incidents disclosed by OpenAI.25:00-25:04
“I have taken many positions with respect to the AI industry generally.”
Asserts that Rob Bonta has taken multiple positions regarding the AI industry.25:32-25:37
“We have a particularly unique duty here in California, and I have a particularly unique duty in my office as the California Attorney General, to make sure that these California companies that are driving forward innovation with respect to artificial intelligence are doing it safely.”
Asserts a duty to ensure California AI companies innovate safely.25:45-26:01
“We have taken an action that is public with respect to OpenAI and we remain concerned broadly about the entire industry.”
Asserts that public action has been taken regarding OpenAI and there is broad concern about the AI industry.26:10-26:19