U.S. Politics · Courts · 13 outlets (L 4 · C 3 · R 5 · 1 not rated)
Judge rules LA federal prosecutor Bill Essayli unlawfully serving
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as Los Angeles' top federal prosecutor and barred him from overseeing two criminal cases.[6, 7, 13] Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright wrote that Essayli, a former Republican state assemblymember, is serving as a de facto U.S. attorney.[6] The order does not take effect immediately, leaving Essayli's leadership of the office in place for now.[1, 13]
The Daily Beast reported Essayli was appointed acting U.S. attorney for the Central District of California in April 2025, and that interim appointments are limited to 120 days.[3] The Justice Department said it intends to appeal, according to The Guardian.[4]
Fox News reported Essayli said the Supreme Court will ultimately decide his fate.[10] Raw Story reported Trump loyalists criticized the judge after the ruling.[2]
Why it matters The Justice Department says it intends to appeal, and Essayli's leadership of the Los Angeles office remains in place while the order is delayed.[4, 13]
Covered by The Guardian, ABC News, Fox News and 10 more
Read first Top federal prosecutor in LA not legally serving, judge rules
Where accounts differ (1)
- FramingRaw Story described the ruling as MAGA loyalists erupting at an 'activist' judge who booted a 'hand-picked' prosecutor, while Fox News framed it around Essayli's own response that the Supreme Court will decide his fate.[2, 10]
- Raw Story · Leans left · Oct 27, 9:57 p.m. ET MAGA erupts after ‘activist’ judge boots Trump’s hand-picked prosecutor
Trump loyalists lashed out at the federal judiciary Tuesday after a judge ruled against one of the president's hand-picked prosecutors. Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright disqualified Bill Essayli on…
- Fox News · Right · Oct 28, 1:22 a.m. ET Federal judge rules Bill Essayli unlawfully serving as de facto US attorney in California
Bill Essayli says the Supreme Court will ultimately decide his fate after a federal judge ruled he is unlawfully serving as a de facto U.S. attorney.
- Raw Story · Leans left · Oct 27, 9:57 p.m. ET MAGA erupts after ‘activist’ judge boots Trump’s hand-picked prosecutor
How balanced is this coverage?
Of the 12 rated outlets that covered it, 4 are left of center, 3 are center and 5 are right of center (4 of them in the Right group). 1 more is not rated.
- Left: none.
- Leans left: Raw Story (−0.94), MS NOW (−0.76), The Guardian (−0.70), The Daily Beast (−0.64).
- Center: ABC News (−0.19), Yahoo News (+0.07), The Hill (+0.10).
- Leans right: New York Post (+0.64).
- Right: Fox News (+1.52), Blaze Media (+1.71), One America News Network (+2.69), Conservative Review (+2.76).
Not rated Los Angeles Times. Not placed: they have no lean score.
Each dot is an outlet that covered it, placed by its audience-lean score (Eady et al. 2025), which measures who shares its links, not how accurate it is. The ticks under the line are all 113 rated outlets Tare reads.