An attorney discipline judge in California rejected a request from ex-Trump election lawyer John Eastman to reactivate his law license after recommending that he be disbarred. Eastman was involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including devising a multi-step plan for Vice President Mike Pence and working to appoint fake electors in several states. His desire to continue practicing law is driven by the need to represent clients and pay his legal bills as he faces criminal charges related to these efforts.
Judge Yvette Roland recommended in March that Eastman be disbarred for his role in the election subversion. His law license was immediately revoked, pending a decision from the California Supreme Court. This decision represents a significant consequence for lawyers who promoted false theories of election fraud on behalf of former President Donald Trump. Roland cited Eastman’s failure to uphold his duty of honesty and breach of ethical obligations as grounds for disbarment.
Eastman sought to have his law license reactivated so he could represent Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene in a political speech case and pay his legal bills. However, Roland rejected this request, stating that Eastman still presents a threat to the public. She emphasized that disbarment was necessary to protect the public from Eastman’s deceptive and misleading claims about the 2020 election and Vice President Pence’s authority to intervene in the electoral process.
Eastman is facing charges in Georgia for election subversion alongside Trump and others, pleading not guilty in that case. He was also indicted in Arizona last month in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 election, with more than a dozen other Trump allies, including Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani. These legal challenges further underscore the consequences of Eastman’s actions in attempting to influence the outcome of the 2020 election through deceptive means.
Overall, the rejection of Eastman’s request to reactivate his law license highlights the ongoing legal repercussions of his involvement in efforts to undermine the 2020 election. The recommendation for disbarment represents a significant step in holding lawyers accountable for promoting false claims of election fraud, particularly in cases where the public can be harmed. Eastman’s legal battles and criminal charges underscore the seriousness of his actions and the legal consequences he faces as a result of his involvement in the election subversion efforts.
