During a recent press conference in Los Angeles, Bill Essayli, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, emphasized the likelihood of charges being filed related to alleged voter fraud in California. Speaking alongside LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, Essayli noted ongoing attempts to implement a comprehensive audit of California’s voter roll, a task he has pursued in collaboration with Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

Amidst this backdrop, Republican lawmakers have voiced skepticism about the Los Angeles mayoral race, in which GOP candidate Spencer Pratt was unexpectedly eliminated from the runoff after initially being in second place when the polls closed. Former President Trump further criticized the election process, labeling the Los Angeles mayoral race as a “rigged election” on Truth Social. He contrasted California’s vote-counting timeline with that of so-called Third World countries, taking issue with the extended wait for results.

In California, ballots postmarked by Election Day must reach county election offices by June 9, causing delays in vote counting. Concurrently, Essayli disclosed the presence of multiple election fraud investigations but refrained from providing details. He criticized California’s election infrastructure for having what he described as “serious structural vulnerabilities.” His critiques focused on mail-in voting and the absence of mandatory photo ID at polling stations, practices Trump often associates with voter fraud claims.

Essayli accused state officials of allowing noncitizens to vote, which is prohibited under federal law, though he did not present evidence. The Trump administration has also expressed concerns over similar voter fraud types, despite reports that such cases are infrequent. The Justice Department has accordingly filed lawsuits against California seeking access to voter registration records under the Help America Vote Act and initiated investigations into alleged fraud statewide.

Essayli remarked to Glenn Beck that California poses significant risks across various fraud types, including election-related issues. He likened the state to a ‘fraudster’s paradise’ encompassing hospice, health care, and election fraud. Requests for comment from the California Secretary of State’s Office remained unanswered as of publication.