Judge Refuses to Reconsider Essayli Disqualification Order

A federal judge declined to reconsider his ruling that allowed Bill Essayli to stay on as his office’s top prosecutor despite finding he unlawfully served as acting US attorney in Los Angeles.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has authority to appoint Essayli as a special attorney to the office and to delegate the authority that Essayli now wields as first assistant US attorney, US District Judge J. Michael Seabright said in a Friday order.

Federal public defenders had challenged Seabright’s disqualification order, saying the October order improperly allows Essayli to keep the power to direct prosecutions in California’s Central ...