Top LA federal prosecutor and CA AG trade election barbs
By The BriefBrief
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and California Attorney General Rob Bonta engaged in a public X spat this week over alleged election-integrity issues. Essayli accused Bonta of protecting non-citizens’ access to mail ballots and shielding fraudsters, and Bonta replied that Essayli is more focused on currying favor with Trump than upholding the law.
WHO:Bill Essayli (First Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles) and California Attorney General Rob Bonta
WHAT:They traded public accusations on social media about state election integrity, including claims about mail ballots and accountability for alleged fraud.
WHEN:Reported Aug 28, 2026 at 6:00 AM ET
WHERE:California
WHY:The dispute was triggered by Essayli’s accusation that Bonta is working to preserve non-citizens’ access to mail ballots and shield alleged fraudsters from accountability.
Reporting from 1 identified publisher for this event.
