Natasha Johnson, who was elected to the State Assembly in the 2025 special election in the 63rd District, is the designated successor and endorsee of Bill Essayli. It recently became known that Sonja Shaw, the right-wing candidate for California Superintendent of Public Instruction in the November election, was also recruited to run by Bill Essayli.
Both served in local office in Republican-leaning areas of the Inland Empire, Natasha Johnson on the Lake Elsinore City Council, and Sonja Shaw on the school board in Chino. The 63rd Assembly District adjoins Chino and includes Lake Elsinore.
Both are unswerving followers of Donald Trump and his MAGA movement. And this is their basic qualification, in the eyes of Bill Essayli.
Bilal A. “Bill” Essayli was elected in 2022 to the State Assembly seat after it was reapportioned into its current boundaries. It can be said that he served in the Assembly until early 2025, but his “service” did not include any legislative accomplishments. He was regarded in Sacramento more as a troll than anything else, introducing outrageous rightist propaganda material instead of serious attempts at legislation. And all this was carefully brought to the attention of Donald Trump, who apparently appreciated the stunts. After Trump took office as president for the second time, he appointed Bill Essayli as Acting US Attorney in Los Angeles.
When US Senators examined Essayli’s record, they were not impressed. Trump never submitted Essayli’s name to the Senate for confirmation as US Attorney. Instead, after the expiration of Essayli’s six-month term as Acting US Attorney, he reappointed him under two different titles to run the office without being confirmed. This unprecedented lawless action by Trump, which he also did with extreme and unqualified nominees for US Attorney in a number of other districts, is still being litigated. It appears quite possible that many convictions under Essayli will be voided as a result.
But Essayli certainly had the one qualification Trump desired: loyalty to Trump rather than to the law. He was willing to charge the innocent, if they were enemies of Trump, and he was willing to drop charges against criminals who funneled money to Trump.
Soon after his appointment, he charged many people who demonstrated against ICE raids with crimes, usually felonies, that they simply never committed. Most of these cases collapsed when they came to court. Judges (whatever their party) do not appreciate charges that are completely unsupported by any evidence. Essayli has announced a task force to investigate “election fraud” (by Democrats, of course), but the task force has been unable to find or invent any specific cases, and all the task force has generated has been lying rumors that result in no court cases. And Essayli eagerly awaits additional direction from Trump as to whom to persecute and prosecute.
Just as bad, Essayli has collaborated with Trump in dropping charges against accused criminals who give money to Trump. This is quite aside from the other Trump scandal, those who were already convicted but were pardoned after getting millions into the hands of Trump, his family, and his close associates.
Every voter who considers whether to support Trump, Essayli, and the Trump allies whom Essayli has recruited, should read an interesting letter from a number of Members of Congress, who propose that Essayli’s actions require a thorough investigation. The letter can be found online at essayli-doj-opr-letter.pdf
We need to bring this corruption to an end. You can do your part by voting in the November 3rd election against both Natasha Johnson and Sonja Shaw. For State Assembly in the 63rd District, vote for Kevin Akin, Johnson’s only opponent. For State Superintendent of Public Instruction, vote for Richard Barrera, Shaw’s only opponent.