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Feb. 20, 2026

Assembly, Rivas urge court to block discovery in ex-staffer's RICO case

Attorneys for the California Assembly and Speaker Robert Rivas urged a federal magistrate judge to halt discovery in a RICO lawsuit filed by a former press secretary, arguing the complaint is likely to be dismissed, while the plaintiff's counsel said key investigative files remain withheld.

SACRAMENTO -- Attorneys for the California Assembly and Speaker Robert Rivas told a federal magistrate judge Thursday that he should not allow discovery to go forward in a case filed by a former Capitol staffer because her entire complaint will soon implode. The attorney for Rivas' former press secretary, Cynthia Moreno, replied that discovery is needed because the defendants have withheld much of the information she needs to make her case.

The unusual RICO case started in sta...

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