California's Supreme Court has ruled against Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco after he went out and seized 650,000 ballots, according to Techdirt. The decision is a major setback for the sheriff, who has built a public image around aggressive enforcement.
The report describes Bianco as a "law and order" hypocrite who selectively applies the law to hurt people he dislikes and protect those he favors. His seizure of the ballots drew legal challenges that ultimately reached the state's highest court, which sided against him.
While the full details of the court's order are not spelled out in the report, the ruling is a clear judicial rebuke of a local official's attempt to insert himself into the electoral process. It also highlights the ongoing tension between law enforcement power and the administration of elections.