Bill Essayli Fought LGBTQ+ Rights in Sacramento. Now He Runs the DOJ in California.

 

By Santa Clarita Star Staff

04/01/2025 at 3:30 PM

 

Republican lawmaker Bilal “Bill” Essayli has been appointed by President Donald Trump as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, placing him in charge of federal prosecutions across Los Angeles, Riverside, and five other Southern California counties. Known for his anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and ties to the parental rights movement, Essayli’s appointment has sparked concern among civil rights advocates in one of the nation’s most diverse judicial districts.

 

 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Bilal A. “Bill” Essayli, a Republican California lawmaker known for his combative political style and conservative positions on social issues, was sworn in Wednesday as U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, following his appointment Tuesday by President Donald Trump.

 

Essayli, 39, was sworn in during a private ceremony administered by Chief U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee. The appointment, made under a federal statute that allows the attorney general to fill vacancies in U.S. attorney offices, gives him oversight of federal prosecutions in the nation’s most populous judicial district. The Central District serves about 20 million residents across seven Southern California counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino.

 

"I am honored that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their trust in me to serve as United States Attorney for the Central District of California. I intend to implement the President’s mission to restore trust in our justice system and pursue those who dare to cause harm to the United States and the People of our nation,” stated Bill Essayli in a press release.

 

Essayli resigned from the California State Assembly effective Tuesday night. First elected in 2022 to represent the state’s 63rd District, which includes parts of Riverside and Corona, and the cities of Menifee and Norco, Essayli emerged as one of Sacramento’s most vocal conservatives. He focused heavily on culture war issues, including legislation that would have required schools to notify parents if students showed signs of being transgender and a proposal to ban transgender athletes from girls' sports.

During a committee hearing, he defended the latter effort by asserting that California’s policies violated Title IX, aligning himself with the Trump administration’s interpretation of federal gender equity law.

 

Essayli, the son of Lebanese immigrants and the first Muslim elected to the California Assembly, frequently clashed with Democratic colleagues. During the final days of the 2023 legislative session, he shouted an expletive at the Assembly speaker after being denied time to speak — a moment that drew widespread attention.

 

Before his time in the Legislature, Essayli worked as a federal prosecutor in the Central District from 2014 to 2018, handling cases involving violent crime, identity theft, and white-collar offenses. He was part of the federal response team following the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack. He helped secure a conviction in the case of a Santa Barbara doctor whose unlawful opioid prescriptions were linked to multiple deaths.

 

He later co-founded the Newport Beach law firm Essayli & Brown LLP and previously served as a deputy district attorney in Riverside County.

The new U.S. attorney has also developed ties to key figures in Trump’s political circle. He recently worked with former Ambassador Richard Grenell on a proposed 2026 California ballot measure to implement voter ID requirements, and his appointment follows Trump’s nomination of attorney Harmeet Dhillon to lead the Justice Department’s civil rights division.

 

Chino Valley school board president Sonja Shaw, a prominent figure in California’s anti-LGBTQIA+ movement, praised Essayli’s appointment on social media, writing on X, “Bill has been a relentless fighter for justice, standing up for parental rights, pushing back against corruption, and defending the values that matter most. Now, he’s taking the fight to the next level!” Shaw, who announced last month that she’s running for California State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2026, has gained national attention for backing policies that require schools to out transgender students to their parents and allow book bans. Her support reflects alignment with Essayli’s legislative record, including his efforts to impose similar requirements statewide.

 

Essayli has also taken strong positions on labor issues, opposing legislation he views as favoring unions. In 2023, he opposed Senate Bill 799, which allowed striking workers to access unemployment benefits, calling it "fundamentally unfair to businesses" and warning it would further strain California’s unemployment insurance fund.

In May 2024, Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, removed Assemblymember Bill Essayli from the Judiciary Committee—tasked with reviewing legislation with legal and constitutional impacts—and reassigned him to Aging and Long-Term Care. The move followed Essayli’s push for a floor vote on AB 2641, which would allow state law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials in cases involving convicted sex offenders. Essayli called the reassignment retaliation for “fighting to end sanctuary protections for pedophiles” and accused Rivas of political censorship on X. The fallout mirrors his April 2024 removal from the Budget Committee after a heated exchange with the chair. Republican Leader James Gallagher called the latest move “retaliation,” while Rivas’ office cited “venomous attacks and malignant lies” as threats to lawmakers’ safety. The episode underscores rising tensions in Sacramento over decorum, immigration, and public safety.

 

Essayli replaces acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally, who served after Biden appointee Martin Estrada stepped down ahead of Trump’s inauguration. The position requires Senate confirmation, though no immediate obstacles have been announced.