Federal judge disqualifies Trump-appointed prosecutor for ‘unlawfully serving’ in role
Bill Essayli, a former GOP lawmaker and ally of president, has not been confirmed by the Senate in his role
TL;DR
- A US judge ruled Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in southern California, was unlawfully serving.
- Essayli is disqualified from overseeing two criminal prosecutions.
- The ruling is part of a legal battle challenging Essayli's appointment without Senate confirmation.
- Essayli was appointed interim US attorney in April 2025 and later given "acting" and "first assistant" titles.
- A federal appellate court ruling in a similar Nevada case influenced the judge's decision.
- The Department of Justice intends to appeal the ruling.
- Essayli has pursued cases aligned with the "Maga agenda," including targeting immigrants and prosecuting protesters.
- He recently launched a campaign against alleged "voter fraud" by non-citizens, which state officials oppose.