The Riverside County sheriff’s race has tightened over the past six months. In the spring of 2017, incumbent Sheriff Stan Sniff seemed to have a clear path to re-election. But an ongoing spat or controversy with the Board of Supervisors has given hope to his two challengers — Riverside County Sheriff Lt. Chad Bianco and former Hemet Police Chief Dave Brown.

However, the campaign financial reports through Dec. 31 continue to give Sniff a large money lead over Bianco and Brown.

Unless one of the three candidates receives more than 50 percent of the votes cast in the June primary election, the two candidates with the most votes will vie for the sheriff’s position in the November election.

At the end of 2017, Sniff already had $466,000 in cash with the June primary only five months away. Bianco, who ran against Sniff in 2014, had $114,000, and Brown, who only began his official campaign in December, had $68,000.

According to the reports filed with the county’s Registrar of Voters Office, Sniff has received about 246 contributions, of which four were greater than $10,000. The largest — $55,000 — came from Harold Matzner of Palm Springs. Two others, $41,000 from Frederick Noble and $13,000 from Arco Travel, were in-kind contributions for fundraisers last fall. And Nachhattar Chandi of La Quinta gave $15,000. Both Matzner and Noble gave to Sniff’s 2014 campaign.

Sniff has received 11 other donations of more than $2,000, and 29 contributions between $1,000 and $2,000.

But the largest donation in the sheriff’s race so far was more than a quarter million dollars to Bianco from the Riverside Sheriff’s Association Public Education Fund. Slightly more than half has been in-kind payments for Bianco’s mailers, which have totaled nearly $130,000.

Of his total 44 contributions, only four others were greater than $1,000. One of these came from family.

Brown has received two contributions of $10,000. One was from the Hemet Police Association, and the other from West Coast Lights and Sirens. He has garnered another 12 between $2,500 and $4,000, and 28 contributions between $1,000 and $2,000 out his total 87 contributors.

So far, no one from Idyllwild has contributed to the sheriff’s campaign.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. I making a decision on who to vote for; I will be basing my vote on who I feel is the best person. Not who has more money raised. Living in the City of Hemet, I have seen ‘big-money’ campaigns. And of course those candidates were the winners….But not the best choice. I know two of the candidates in this race and right now I will be casting my vote for Sheriff Sniff. But again, that vote is not cast in stone. I am reading, studying and listening to the other candidates.

  2. Guess the PE missed the $300k that Bianco was just given by the Sheriffs Union or did the PE choose not to disclose that because as usual they are in the bag for the tyrant Sheriff? Here is a copy from the news release for those interested in the TRUTH!

    Amid Scandals Surrounding Sheriff Candidates Sniff and Brown, Riverside Deputy Sheriffs Give $300,000 to Lt. Chad Bianco
    February 16, 2018
    RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA – – With two candidates for Riverside County Sheriff embroiled in scandals in their departments the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association affirmed their support for Lt. Chad Bianco who has emerged as the only qualified candidate capable to lead change.

    “There is no true leadership at the Riverside Sheriff’s Department and as a result, public safety is dangerously threatened,” said Ian Anderson, District Attorney Investigator who also serves as Vice President and Chairman of the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association political education committee.

    “Lt. Chad Bianco has a distinguished record supervising staff and managing resources in this department while protecting all in Riverside County. Bianco has earned our endorsement and has the full support of the county’s 2,300 law enforcement professionals who put their lives at risk patrolling our streets every day. We need real change in leadership to restore integrity, efficiency and accountability to this department. That’s why we are 100 percent supporting Chad Bianco.”

    This week a new scandal involving Sheriff Stan Sniff caught national attention as it was learned that he ignored a cheating scheme within the department and later promoted those involved in the cheating.

    Read More About the Cheating Scandal

    This scandal comes as Sniff’s department faces huge budget overruns and a mass staff exodus which led to Supervisor Tavaglione to state, “He is unable to manage his organization in an effective way.”

    Read More About the Budget Problems At the Sheriff Department

    In addition, it was revealed that second tier candidate Dave Brown a former Chief of Police in the crime-filled city of Hemet faces a scandal of his own. A former Hemet police officer alleged the Hemet Police Department was destroying evidence, used racial slurs and abused a prisoner while Brown was in charge.

    Read About the Hemet Police Department Scandal

    The election for Sheriff will take place in conjunction with the June 5th Statewide Primary election. For more information visit http://www.ChadBiancoForSheriff.com.

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