Federal prosecutor Bill Essayli began the week on the defensive, facing criticism from Democrats over comments he made about California’s then-still-uncounted primary election results.The First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California suggested federal election fraud charges could be forthcoming, even as vote counting continued across parts of the state.“We will be charging some people,” Essayli said during an appearance on conservative commentator Glenn Beck’s show. “It will be election fraud charges in the next — I hate to put timelines on things — one or two months, I believe. We need some of these results to be certified so we can prove some of the allegations.”
Bill Essayli, acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, speaks with reporters during a news conference at the Department of Justice, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
He also said that his office was “looking for any sort of wide-scale conspiracies,” but added, “Right now, I would say, our investigations lean into more individual actors.”
The remarks drew backlash from Democrats and election officials. Under longstanding Justice Department practice, prosecutors have generally avoided publicly discussing potential charges or ongoing investigations.
