Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco received maximum donations from two closely linked Corona companies that have been run by the same siblings, which could violate California campaign finance law.

Bianco, a Republican seeking to replace Gavin Newsom as governor, has received $78,400 donations from M&D Development and Downs Energy, the maximum amount allowed for an individual donor. 

Contributions from companies that are controlled by the same person or people should be aggregated, or treated as contributions from the same donor, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission, which regulates campaign donations and enforces California’s campaign finance laws. If the donations from Downs and M&D were aggregated, they would represent $156,800 in contributions from the same source, which would exceed the limits placed on political donations in California’s 2026 governor’s race.

M&D Development, a limited liability real estate firm founded in 2007, and Downs Energy, which since the 1940s has specialized in fuel and lubricants and was acquired last September by a subsidiary of Pilot Travel Centers, have been under the direction of siblings Sherry Messner and Michael Downs, according to numerous records. 

Downs Energy is a frequent contributor to Republican candidates running for state office in California, according to campaign finance records.

Donations to gubernatorial candidate could violate California campaign rules