Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for California governor, defended his past affiliation with the far-right Oath Keepers militia group during a debate Tuesday night, declaring he is "very proud" to have been a member.
Debate Exchange Turns Heated
Bianco joined six other candidates on stage to make their case for governor. The exchange escalated when former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, called out Bianco's ties to the group.
"You know, you're an Oath Keeper," Villaraigosa said. "We all know that."
"And I'm very proud of that," Bianco responded. "I'm very proud of it."
The Oath Keepers participated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. A former spokesperson for the group testified in 2022 that the organization aimed to lead an "armed revolution" that day.
"I spent a few years with the Oath Keepers, and I can tell you that they may not like to call themselves a 'militia,' but they are," said Jason Van Tatenhove, former national spokesperson for the Oath Keepers. "They're a violent militia."
During the trial of Oath Keepers members who attacked the Capitol, prosecutors stated that group leader Stewart Rhodes and his followers stockpiled guns for potential use by "quick reaction force" teams at a Virginia hotel, though the weapons were never used. Last month, the Trump administration's Justice Department moved to dismiss seditious conspiracy convictions of Oath Keepers leaders who had been sentenced to prison. Rhodes, who received an 18-year sentence, was among more than 1,500 rioters pardoned by Trump last year.
Bianco's Defense and Controversial Remarks
During the debate, CNN moderator Kaitlin Collins asked Bianco to clarify his position on the Oath Keepers.
"I have sworn an oath three times to defend my constitution," Bianco said. "And everybody that wants to like, again, lie and get all emotionally spun up about the Oath Keeper organization. I just would, before you do that, and I know none of you have, I want you to go read the mission statement of the Oath Keeper mission statement and the ACLU –"
Villaraigosa interrupted: "I saw them on CNN attacking the Capitol."
An agitated Bianco responded with a bizarre retort: "I saw a politician molesting kids. Does that mean you molest kids?"
"What?" a stunned Villaraigosa asked.
"Exactly," Bianco replied. "Don't pull out those stupid statements and expect not to be called out."
Bianco's Actions as Sheriff
As sheriff, Bianco seized more than half a million ballots cast in a November special election from county election officials, citing an investigation into a ballot count discrepancy. Bianco is one of two prominent Republicans running for governor, and leading Democrats worry that a crowded field could split the vote, potentially sending a Republican to the general election.
When Collins asked if he still considers himself a member of the Oath Keepers, Bianco answered "no."
