Disgraced rightwing attorney John Eastman continues to make headlines for his refusal to turn over subpoenaed materials to the House Select Committee investigating the Jan 6 insurrection. The materials relate to Donald Trump’s coup attempt that including staging an insurrection to stop the counting of electoral votes confirming Joe Biden as the next president of the United States.

The insurrection resuled in millions of dollars of damage to the Capitol and injury to over 140 brave police officers. Over 830 individuals have been charged with crimes for their participation in the Trump orchestrated act of treason.

HANDWRITTEN NOTES

In the newest New York Times reporting, Eastman has confirmed that Trump played an active role in the attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election. This is evidenced by handwritten notes from Trump to Eastman regarding different strategies he wanted the lawyer to use to try to illegally remain in power.

However, while acknowledging the notes exist and are in his possession, Eastman claims they fall under attorney-client privilege. These are not the only documents Eastman is refusing to comply with the law to turn over.

Eastman is refusing to turn over 600 documents to the House Select Committee with this claim. U.S. District Court Judge David Carter previously ordered Eastman’s claim to attorney-client privilege is not valid as that he and Trump were most likely committing a felony.

BETWEEN THE LINES

Buried in the new reports is an interesting detail that may seem small to some but is actually huge when put in context.

Eastman reports that he was officially hired by Trump in September 2020 to dispute election results two months prior to the Nov 3 election itself. In other words, Trump knew he was going to lose the election months in advance and had already committed to plotting ways to illegally stay in power.

Eastman is also arguing that his communications with other people in the Trump orbit also fall under attorney-client privilege because they were agents of the failed businessman. Such “agents” include Fox News host Mark Levin and several state legislators.

2000 MULES

The Eastman filing offers a film titled 2000 Mules by Dinesh D’Souza as “proof” of the debunked conspiracy theories Trump and his team have tried to spread about fictional voter fraud. However, the film that claims to be a documentary, is littered with so many lies that even Trump propaganda machine Fox News refuses to air it.

D’Souza has a reputation for his far rightwing conspiracy theories. In 2007 D’Souza sparked controversy when he said that the 9/11 terrorist attack was the fault of such things as “the liberal support for same-sex marriage”.

Like many of Trump’s allies, D’Souza is a convicted felon. He previously pled guilty to committing campaign finance fraud, but was pardoned by Trump in 2018. As a result, D’Souza’s would seemingly do anything for the twice impeached Trump – including making a totally meritless movie touting the virtue of widespread voter fraud claims that have been repeatedly debunked.

ADMITTING HE WAS WRONG

Will Trump ever face jail time for his crimes? Most theorize he will flee the country before such a thing could happen.

Barring a miracle, Eastman’s law career is over. He is being investigated by the California Bar Association and was forced to resign from his teaching position at Chapman University.

“Professor Eastman appears to be a central player in the development of a legal strategy to justify a coup,” explains House General Counsel Doug Letter.

In this newest filing, Eastman’s attorneys Anthony T. Caso and Charles Burnham admit that “perhaps Dr. Eastman was wrong” about the legality of trying to stage a coup. The lawyers however argue that being wrong about facts “has never been criminal.”

That’s not entirely true. When being wrong about facts leads you to commit felonies and treason, as Eastman and Trump appear to have done, you are still subject to prosecution for your crimes.

Peace. Love. Trust.

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