John Eastman asks judge to pause ethics trial over possible indictment in 2020 election case
Eden Villalovas
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John Eastman, who advised former President Donald Trump as his attorney in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, has asked a California court to delay his disbarment proceedings as an indictment is expected.
Trump was indicted a third time this year on four counts over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Eastman is suspected to be one of six co-conspirators the indictment references. The filing conceals their identities since they are currently not being charged with any crimes; however, the description aligns with Eastman’s actions, describing an “attorney who devised and attempted to implement a strategy to leverage the Vice President’s ceremonial role overseeing the certification proceeding to obstruct the certification of the presidential election.”
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The State Bar of California is arguing its case to disbar Eastman for pushing voter fraud allegations following the 2020 presidential election. On Friday, Eastman’s lawyers requested to postpone the trial in a court filing posted on Monday.
Eastman spoke and stood beside Rudy Guiliani, Trump’s former personal attorney, at the “Save America” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., hours before the Capitol riot occurred.
Reports from 2021 said Eastman was in the Oval Office the day before the insurrection, taking part in meetings with former Vice President Mike Pence and discussing plans for Pence to object to the counting of Electoral College results declaring President Joe Biden’s win, per the Washington Post. The interaction is also mentioned in the latest indictment, although Eastman is not named.
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California attorneys are arguing that Eastman was aware the plan to delay the counting of Electoral College votes was unconstitutional, but he participated regardless, which would be enough to revoke his bar status.
Eastman’s lawyers requested an alternative option to a delay, proposing “a stay of this proceeding for three months to allow for an updated assessment of the scope of the ongoing investigation, including the recent federal grand jury indictment against Trump, as well as the likelihood that formal charges will be brought against Respondent.”