West
'Pro-criminal': Blue state sheriff unloads on 'disgusting' bill targeting the right to self-defense
A California sheriff is speaking out against a bill in the Democrat-controlled capital of Sacramento that he says would essentially make self-defense illegal and believes is emblematic of liberal policies putting people in danger in the state.
After Assembly Bill 1333 was introduced in California two weeks ago, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco gained traction on social media with a post reacting to the bill which he says will essentially make self-defense illegal in the state.
Los Angeles Assembly member Rick Zbur introduced the bill, which he says aims to narrow the criteria for justifiable homicide, but Bianco told Fox News Digital that the bill will just further embolden criminals.
“This Assembly member that has come up with this, If it was his idea, he certainly has absolutely no business being an assembly member representing people,” Bianco said. “And, what my knowledge is of how things happen in Sacramento, I’m not giving him an out because he certainly had some talking points for this bill, but these are bills written by special interest groups and the majority of the special interest in Sacramento are pro-criminal.”
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Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (Fox News Digital)
Bianco continued, “They want criminals to thrive. It’s just bizarre to me. How you could even have the thought process that says people should not be able to protect themselves is beyond me. Honestly, I don’t understand it. And I’ve never heard a sane, legitimate argument otherwise.”
Bianco told Fox News Digital that the bill will make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves from violent criminals.
“This is basically saying if someone approaches you and is going to rob you or steal your stuff or harm you, your only option is to run, and they get whatever they want,” Bianco said.
“If they’re there to steal your car and or your purse or your wallet or to harm your wife or your kids, your only option is to run away from them. They get to do whatever it is they want, and you just have to run away. And this is like the absolute ultimate display of zero consequence for criminal behavior.”
Bianco, who is running for governor of California, told Fox News Digital that he is on the ground talking to Californians every day, and he is yet to run into someone who supports this bill.
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LA assemblymember Rick Zbur (Getty)
“There is no one,” Bianco said. There is no one other than the Democrats in Sacramento who think this is a good idea and then the beautiful part of this is based on what I did, a viral video calling it out, calling him out and making people call and demand better, and then other people doing the same thing. We exposed it. So this bill, there’s no way this bill is ever going to pass.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Zbur for comment.
It is unclear when the bill will be heard on the floor and Zbur has said that he plans to revise the bill to make it more clear.
“What this bill is focused on is someone who goes out in public, picks a fight, and when the victim responds, they shoot them and claim self-defense,” Zbur said about the bill, Cal Matters reported.
The California Capitol July 17, 2022, in Sacramento, Calif. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“Hopefully they remove it from the floor like they should, but this is going to happen to every single bill. They need to be put on notice that the light is going to be shined very bright in that dark little pit they call the Assembly floor, in the Senate floor, on these bills that are harming Californians,” Bianco told Fox News Digital. “And I’m going to be holding the flashlight and there is no sane person that thinks this is a good idea.”
“There’s no dad that believes that he shouldn’t be able to protect his daughter or his wife. There’s no woman that believes that she should not be able to defend herself against an attacker and for these people in Sacramento, these lawmakers to come up with these types of bills. It’s truly disgusting that they would even think this is okay.”
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San Francisco, CA
Giants scratch Rafael Devers from lineup with tight hamstring
Friday, February 27, 2026 9:48PM
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The San Francisco Giants scratched slugger Rafael Devers from the starting lineup because of a tight hamstring, keeping him out of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
The three-time All-Star and 2018 World Series champion is starting his first full season with the Giants after they acquired him in a trade with the Boston Red Sox last year.
Devers hit 35 home runs and had 109 RBIs last season, playing 90 games with San Francisco and 73 in Boston. He signed a $313.5 million, 10-year contract in 2023 with the Red Sox.
He was 20 when he made his major league debut in Boston nine years ago, and he helped them win the World Series the following year.
Devers, who has 235 career homers and 747 RBIs, led Boston in RBIs for five straight seasons and has finished in the top 20 in voting for AL MVP five times.
Copyright © 2026 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.
Denver, CO
University of Denver to close Ricks Center for Gifted Children next year
The University of Denver will close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children next year as enrollment has fallen in recent years, the college announced this week.
The Ricks Center, which serves gifted children as young as 3 years old, will operate for the 2026-27 academic year before closing, according to a letter DU sent parents on Wednesday.
“The University of Denver has made the difficult decision to close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children at the conclusion of the 2026–2027 academic year,” spokesman Jon Stone said in a statement. “This decision reflects long-term operational and financial considerations and is not a reflection of the school’s quality, leadership, or community.”
The center, which is located on DU’s campus, was started in 1984 as the University Center for Gifted Young Children. The program offers classes to students in preschool through eighth grade, according to the website.
The program, along with other public K-12 schools in the state, has experienced declining enrollment in recent years. The center enrolled 142 students for the 2025-26 academic year, which is down from 200 pupils four years ago.
The center will hold a meeting about the pending closure on March 6 for parents.
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Seattle, WA
Three trapped after car goes into ditch near Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum
SEATTLE — Firefighters are responding to a car that drove into a ditch near Lake Washington Boulevard East and East Foster Island Road on Friday, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
Crews arriving at the scene reported that three people are trapped inside the car.
Firefighters were working to stabilize the car and get everyone out safely. Crews worked to remove the roof of the car to get everyone out, according to fire officials.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area while emergency crews respond.
The crash occurred in the area between the Montlake and Broadmoor neighborhoods, and traffic can be expected as emergency crews respond.
No additional information was immediately available.
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