'It's time to put a criminal in the White House,' says California sheriff

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on May 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. This week marks National Police Week, during which thousands of police officers from departments across the country travel to Washington, D.C. to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco says he's tired of lawmakers and elected officials who don't care about the rule of law.

That's why he says he supports former President Donald Trump, who was just convicted last week in New York State on 34 counts of falsifying business records, in the November election.

In a video posted to his personal Instagram account, Bianco, appearing in uniform and apparently in a department vehicle, said he had spent his entire career in law enforcement working to stop criminals and put them behind them. bars. But he believes California's policies have made that job more difficult, and, in his view, criminals not only get off easy, but are told they bear no responsibility for the crimes they commit.

“This love affair that our governor and our state legislature have with criminals is based on the belief that criminals are not responsible for their own actions, that they are victims of society and that in reality , it’s our fault,” Bianco says in the video. . “It’s society’s fault. It's business's fault. It's the cops' fault, maybe it's my fault.

In the sarcastic video, Bianco said politicians, California Governor Gavin Newsom in particular, had “cut” law enforcement budgets, closed prisons and let criminals out of custody early. Newsom has spearheaded the closure of several California jails, but the Riverside County Sheriff's Department's budget has increased by more than $270 million since 2019, when Bianco was sworn in, according to the budget tool county open.

Bianco also disputed the idea of ​​systemic racism or bias in law enforcement or the justice system and instead said criminals actually receive preferential treatment.

“And so they let them out, they gave them food, they gave them housing, they gave them money, they gave them drugs and alcohol now, and I have to to be honest, I'm tired,” Bianco said.

In a tongue-in-cheek speech, Bianco suggested he was done fighting the tide and trying to enforce laws and therefore “changing teams” and instead endorsing a convicted felon in the no one from Trump.

“I think it's time that instead of letting them out of prison and giving them alcohol and drugs and everything else, I think it's time to put a criminal in the White House” , said Bianco.

It's unclear how his support for Trump in 2024 would impact the problems he has with Gov. Newsom, the California Legislature or state laws he says favor criminals.

Bianco, a Republican, is considering a run for the California governor's office in 2026, according to a report from The Press-Enterprise. After the video was posted, some social commentators floated his name as a possible Trump running mate.

The sheriff concluded his video by urging others to follow his example.

“Trump 2024, baby,” Bianco said. “Let’s save this country and make America great again.” »