The California State Bar has made a recommendation for the disbarment of John Eastman, former attorney for the Trump election, according to a filing by a judge on Wednesday.
Last January, the State Bar of California charged Eastman with multiple disciplinary counts. The allegations against Eastman revolve around his involvement in planning, promoting, and assisting then-President Trump in executing a strategy to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election. The State Bar accuses Eastman of engaging in this course of conduct despite the lack of factual or legal support.
According to State Bar Court Judge Yvette D. Roland, Eastman’s misconduct occurred while he was representing President Trump and the Trump Campaign. Judge Roland stated in the filing on Wednesday that Eastman’s actions went beyond ethical boundaries by endorsing and actively pursuing a strategy to contest the 2020 presidential election results, despite the lack of evidence or legal support for such claims.
The judge, considering the circumstances surrounding Eastman’s misconduct and weighing the aggravating and mitigating factors, has recommended that Eastman be disbarred.
According to the judge, Eastman demonstrated an apparent inability to accept responsibility for his actions and exhibited an unwillingness to acknowledge ethical lapses.
According to Roland, the absence of any remorse displayed by Eastman is a cause for concern. Roland emphasizes that this lack of remorse poses a significant risk, as it suggests that Eastman may continue to engage in unethical behavior, thus increasing the potential harm to the public.
Eastman’s attorney, Randall Miller, stated in an interview with ABC News that Eastman firmly believes that his assessment of the post-election issues was grounded on dependable legal precedents.
According to Miller, the process carried out by Dr. Eastman in 2020 mirrors the routine procedures undertaken by lawyers on a daily basis, encompassing the very essence of their profession. Miller expressed confidence that any limitations imposed by today’s decision will be promptly addressed by the Review Court.
According to the California bar investigators, Eastman drafted memos containing “demonstrably false and misleading statements” that served as the basis for the “legal strategies” seeking Vice President Mike Pence’s intervention in the certification of the 2020 election.
The disbarment proceedings started in June and included testimonies from Greg Jacob, Pence’s legal counsel, state election officials from various states, and the experts who Eastman relied on for his baseless allegations of widespread election fraud.
One of the alleged co-conspirators in the federal election interference indictment against former President Donald Trump, brought by special counsel Jack Smith in August, is Eastman.
Eastman, along with Trump and other co-defendants, is facing charges in a separate criminal election interference case in Georgia. Eastman has entered a plea of not guilty to these charges.
