Judge Rules LA Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli Serving Unlawfully; He Says Order Is Stayed
Photo: The Guardian USA federal judge ruled Tuesday that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as a de facto US attorney for the Central District of California, which includes Los Angeles, but Essayli said the order is stayed and he is still running the office. US District Judge J. Michael Seabright barred him from taking part in certain cases but denied motions to dismiss two cases filed while Essayli led the office under a different title. Essayli, the First Assistant US Attorney, said on social media that the Supreme Court will ultimately decide the matter. The Trump administration appointed him acting US attorney last year, and then-Attorney General Pam Bondi named him first assistant before the 120-day limit on that role ran out. In October 2025, Seabright disqualified him from several criminal cases over the time limit. The administration never named a replacement.
Essayli, 40, has also sued California to force it to set aside ballots from 20,000 voters the Justice Department says are likely noncitizens before the midterms. State officials call the data unreliable and the demand impossible to carry out. His office charged 13 green card holders last week with unlawfully registering to vote, and he has threatened to prosecute election officials who knowingly process such ballots.
The Guardian US, on the left, leads with the election push, describing a partisan, Trump-aligned "crusade" and giving weight to state officials' objections and the televised arrest of a 72-year-old defendant. Its opening does not mention the court ruling. The New York Post and The Blaze, on the right, lead with Seabright's ruling and quote Essayli's statement that it has no immediate effect. The Blaze's headline says the fight isn't over. Their openings do not mention the ballot lawsuit or the charges. All three identify him as a Trump-appointed prosecutor. Alternative and independent outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing.
How the sides differ Left sources stress his election-fraud push and ballot lawsuit; right sources stress the judge's ruling and his response; alternative sources have not covered it.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
The Guardian US leads with Essayli's lawsuit to set aside 20,000 California ballots and his charges against green card holders, framing it as a partisan crusade and citing state election officials' objections.
Not covering this story. None of the alternative or independent outlets Crosswire tracks has reported it yet. What one side leaves out can be as telling as what the others report.
The New York Post and The Blaze lead with Judge Seabright's ruling that Essayli is serving unlawfully, quoting his statement that the order is stayed and the Supreme Court will decide.