Vem Miller, a Nevada man who was arrested on October 12 while driving with guns in his car near a Trump rally in Coachella, California, is suing Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco for defamation.
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The lawsuit alleges that the sheriff falsely claimed Miller was attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Law enforcement officers arrested Miller at a security checkpoint when they discovered a loaded pistol and shotgun in his vehicle.
Bianco initially claimed during a press conference that his deputies “probably stopped a third assassination attempt on former President Trump.”
Even further, the lawsuit indicates that the sheriff “fabricated allegations against Miller, going on numerous news outlets, claiming to have thwarted a third assassination attempt against Presidential Candidate Donald J. Trump.”
Miller has repeatedly denied trying to assassinate the former president.
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The lawsuit accuses Sheriff Bianco of fabricating the assassination narrative about Miller to bolster his reputation while violating the plaintiff’s rights through unlawful search and seizure.
“Bianco, intentionally, maliciously and with a blatant disregard for the truth, wanted to create a narrative to be viewed as a ‘heroic’ Sheriff who saved Presidential candidate Trump from a third assassination attempt,” the lawsuit states.
Bianco’s public statements about Miller included a series of false accusations regarding fake passports, fake IDs, and his supposed membership in a “sovereign citizens” group, according to the complaint.
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Miller alleges that Bianco continued pushing the assassination attempt narrative even after the FBI and Secret Service declined to speak with Miller, which signaled that they did not view him as a potential assassin.
Even after being notified by both United States Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation that they did not believe Miller was a threat… Defendant Bianco continued to make preposterous allegations against Miller, holding press conferences perpetuating his delusional and false narrative.
Bianco also violated Miller’s privacy by publicizing his personal information without a valid reason, the lawsuit states.
Defendants without any legitimate purpose disclosed Miller’s identity, made preposterous allegations against him, placing him in false light, despite the fact that Miller, had not committed any crimes associated with the allegations made in nationwide news conferences.
Miller’s lawsuit claims he experienced emotional distress, public humiliation, and damage to his career as a result of Bianco’s false narrative. “The unlawful and illegal conduct of Defendant County of Riverside, its policies, procedures, customs, and practices, deprived Miller of the rights, privileges and immunities secured to him by the Constitution of the United States and federal statutory law,” the suit claims.
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During an appearance on Fox News Digital, Miller protested his innocence, saying he had no intention of harming Trump. “I’ve been to over 20 Trump events, and I am a 100% Trump supporter,” he said.
He also posted an 18-minute video to X telling his story.
Bianco gave a qualified semi-retraction of his statements about Miller. “Three days later, IF everything Mr. Miller has said is true, and I really hope it is, then he probably wasn’t there to hurt former President Trump,” he said in a text message to the Los Angeles Times. “I definitely said it and can’t change that.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece was edited post-publication for clarity.)