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- John Eastman is a Senior Fellow at the Conservative Claremont Institute.
- Before January 6, he wrote memos to justify repealing the 2020 election results.
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A bipartisan group of legal experts has written to the California State Bar demanding that an ethics investigation be opened against a conservative attorney who advised the Trump administration on the overturning of the 2020 election results.
In a six-page memo received by Insider last week, John Eastman, a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, argued that Vice President Mike Pence could unilaterally reject votes for President Joe Biden and secure a second term for former President Donald Trump – which is constitutionally possible Legal expert Kermit Roosevelt described a “coup attempt disguised in legal language”.
Some believe Eastman violated his professional lawyer duties by offering this advice to Trump’s legal team.
“Lawyers, especially those representing elected and appointed public officials, have a solemn duty to the public to advise their clients within the four corners of the law and to ensure that they do not make themselves the tools those officials use to attempt to democratize Undermine governance, “said a complaint from the United States United Democracy Center, a non-partisan group campaigning for the integrity of the elections.
In particular, the lawsuit notes that Eastman “supported Mr. Trump’s dangerous efforts to prevent or disrupt the counting of votes” and urged former Vice President Pence to “violate his legal obligations.”
Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican who served in the Bush administration’s cabinet, said the complaint was an attempt to ensure that “democracy prevails despite unprecedented disinformation and attempts to overturn free, fair elections.”
“It is important that policymakers and legal experts from both sides of the aisle stand up and fight these anti-democratic actions by John Eastman and his colleagues,” Whitman said in a statement.
Eastman claimed the complaint was “politically motivated” and told Insider he looks forward to “responding fully” as it progresses.
Do you have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com
