California’s senators should block Bill Essayli from getting a full term as U.S. attorney for much of Southern California, according to a coalition that wants the Golden State’s senators to take action.

Critics want to prevent Essayli, a Republican and former Inland Empire assemblymember, from being confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

A conservative firebrand and supporter of President Donald Trump, Essayli resigned from the legislature in April to become the U.S. Department of Justice’s top lawyer on an interim basis in a district encompassing Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

The district, which employs more than 250 lawyers, encompasses almost 20 million people, making it the largest federal judicial district outside of the nation’s capital.

U.S. attorneys are subject to Senate confirmation. Essyali’s appointment was made under federal law allowing the U.S. attorney general to “appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of United States Attorney is vacant,” according to an April justice department news release on Essayli.

“Essayli’s record is unmistakably dangerous,” Riverside County Democratic Party Chair Joy Silver — Essayli represented part of the county in the legislature — said in a mass email.

She accused Essayli of “aggressively pushing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation” in Sacramento and “undermining immigrant rights” through his efforts targeting California’s so-called sanctuary city policies preventing local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.

“Essayli has made it clear that his agenda serves extremist partisan interests, not justice,” Silver said.

Essayli’s role in prosecuting California labor union leader David Huerta, who was arrested during an anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest last week, “demonstrates once again his willingness to weaponize federal authority to persecute his political enemies,” Silver added.

Ciarian McEvoy, a spokesperson for Essayli, did not immediately respond Friday, June 13, to a request for comment.

A website, stopessayli.org, has been set up to block Essayli’s Senate confirmation. The website urges the public to contact senators, sign a petition and donate money to the anti-Essayli effort.

Critics are asking U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, both D-California, to block Essayli’s confirmation.

Blue slips are used by the Senate Judiciary Committee to gather information about nominees for judgeships and other federal judicial posts from senators in the nominees’ home states. Withholding the slips, or returning them with a negative opinion, historically can derail a nominee’s confirmation.

The press offices of Padilla and Schiff did not immediately respond Friday to requests for comment

Senators also have the power to place holds on presidential nominees, something Schiff did in April by stalling the confirmation of Ed Martin to be U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

At the time, Schiff said Martin “has consistently undermined the independence and abused the power” of his office by “openly threatening and intimidating political opponents” and “firing public servants for their roles in legitimate investigations,” among other alleged infractions.

During his time in Sacramento, Essayli sponsored unsuccessful legislation to prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports and requiring schools to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender.

He frequently and publicly feuded with the legislature’s Democratic supermajority, losing committee assignments several times in the process. After Huerta’s arrest, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, said Essayli “was powerless in the Assembly, and is using his Trump-bestowed job to settle scores.”

Essayli defended his conduct, saying he was fighting for beleaguered Californians beset by Sacramento Democrats’ devastating policies.

The push to block Essayli’s confirmation comes as voting is under way in a Tuesday, June 24, special election to pick Essayli’s successor in the Assembly. The winner will serve the remainder of Essayli’s term, which runs through the end of 2026.