Bill Essayli, acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, speaks with reporters during a news conference at the Department of Justice, Nov. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, file).
The de facto top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles has been disqualified for a second time by a judge, a development he apparently shrugged off after arguing the DOJ's voter roll case in California on Tuesday.
Bilal "Bill" Essayli was disqualified about a year ago "from participating in or supervising" his criminal defendant challengers' prosecutions as acting U.S. attorney, leading him to say he was "not planning to go anywhere." He hasn't.
Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright, a George W. Bush appointee in Hawaii sitting on the case by designation, allowed Essayli at the time to stay on as a special attorney and first assistant U.S. attorney (FAUSA), normally the second-in-command in the office, but here the de facto head of it.
Seabright on Tuesday concluded that Essayli can't supervise the criminal cases of Tu Anh Tran and Jaime Hector Ramirez or the attorneys involved "in the handling of these cases" through his "designated role" of special attorney and FAUSA, in light of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision in August disqualifying Sigal Chattah in Nevada.
The ruling came down while Essayli was in court, trying to persuade Senior U.S. District Judge David O. Carter — a Bill Clinton appointee — to set aside 20,000 ballots from people whom the DOJ claimed are "likely noncitizens" illegally registered to vote.
Carter, reportedly skeptical of the DOJ's case and process, indicated he will appoint a special master.
https://x.com/SaraLibby/status/2115217285212409861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A Los Angeles Times reporter said Essayli responded to learning of Seabright's ruling by saying the issue "will be decided by the Supreme Court."
https://x.com/brittny_mejia/status/2115245388995412162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Essayli separately stressed in a post on X that the order does not take "immediate effect."
"Just so there's no confusion, today's order is stayed and has no immediate effect. I remain First Assistant U.S. Attorney and continue running the office. The Supreme Court will ultimately decide this matter," Essayli said.
It is true that Seabright separately ordered, due to an Oct. 19 "joint stipulation," that the disqualification "shall not take immediate effect." He said it would take effect in one week if the government "does not timely move for a stay pending appeal," however.
"If the government does timely move for a stay pending appeal, and if the Court denies that motion, the order disqualifying Mr. Essayli shall take effect one week after the Court rules on the stay motion, subject to any further orders of this Court or an appellate court," the judge said.