Darrell Issa’s Texas two-step

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: EYE ON ESSAYLI — Democratic Rep. Dave Min is calling for an investigation into Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli’s conduct while leading the Central District of California. In a letter to the Department of Justice, Min cites multiple instances in which Essayli may have violated the Department’s standards of conduct, as well as rules governing professional conduct for the California State Bar.

Min is accusing Essayli of multiple violations of professional misconduct, including filing criminal charges against protesters that were not supported by probable cause, opening politically-motivated investigations, and, in one reported instance, shouting “Fuck the Justice Manual” — the DOJ’s handbook on prosecution rules — to a team of federal attorneys considering an indictment of a protester. The Orange County Democrat’s letter, which is signed by 12 other lawmakers, is unlikely to spur President Donald Trump’s DOJ to investigate a loyal ally. — Melanie Mason