Federal judge rules Bill Essayli unlawfully serving as California US attorney
Briefing by News4U · First published
A US judge ruled Tuesday that Bill Essayli was “unlawfully serving” as southern California’s top federal prosecutor and disqualified him from two cases. The Justice Department said it will appeal, and the order is not yet in effect.
A US judge ruled on Tuesday that Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in southern California, was “unlawfully serving” as the head of the US attorney’s office and was disqualified from overseeing two criminal prosecutions, The Guardian reported. [1]
Federal judge Michael Seabright said Essayli remained illegally serving despite “special attorney” and “first assistant” designations after his interim appointment, citing a federal appellate ruling in a similar Nevada case. The order will not take effect immediately, and the Department of Justice said it intends to appeal. [1]
Essayli, a former Republican state lawmaker and Trump ally who became interim US attorney in April 2025 without Senate confirmation, said he disagreed and expects the Supreme Court to decide the question. Defense lawyer H. Dean Steward called the decision a “victory for the rule of law.” [1]
Sources
- Federal judge disqualifies Trump-appointed prosecutor for ‘unlawfully serving’ in role
The Guardian · · Full text