A federal judge says the man running the US attorney's office in Los Angeles shouldn't be in charge. In a Tuesday order, US District Judge J. Michael Seabright ruled that First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli is unlawfully acting as the region's top federal prosecutor and is barred from handling or supervising cases—though his decision is temporarily on hold, the Hill reports. Seabright found the Justice Department improperly kept Essayli in the role past the 120-day legal cap for acting US attorneys, likening his situation to other Trump-appointed prosecutors whose appointments have been struck down.
Essayli, a former state lawmaker, was appointed last year as the Acting US Attorney for the Central District of California, which includes Los Angeles, the AP reports. The Trump administration didn't name another acting US attorney after the 120 days were up, leaving Essayli as the "de facto" top prosecutor, Seabright said. Essayli has played a leading role in the administration's clashes with California on everything from alleged healthcare fraud to noncitizen voting, the AP notes.
- Defense attorney H. Dean Steward, who filed a motion challenging Essayli's authorities, says the decision is "a victory for the rule of law and the US Constitution." "The Trump administration ignored the laws governing the appointment of US Attorneys and got caught in Los Angeles," he tells the Los Angeles Times. "Trump and his Department of Justice violated the law again and again in an effort to install minions as chief federal prosecutors."
- "Just so there's no confusion, today's order is stayed and has no immediate effect," Essayli said on X. "I remain First Assistant US Attorney and continue running the office. The Supreme Court will ultimately decide this matter."
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