John Eastman, the University of Colorado Boulders visiting scholar of conservative thought and policy, speaks about his plans to sue the university at a news conference outside of CU Boulder on Thursday, April 29, 2021.
Andy Cross | Denver Post | Getty Images
The California State Bar on Thursday charged John Eastman, an attorney closely allied with former President Donald Trump, with 11 disciplinary counts related to his alleged scheme to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
The Office of Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona intends to seek Eastman’s disbarment, according to a press release from the State Bar of California.
Eastman is charged with making false statements about purported election fraud, including during a “stop the steal” rally outside the White House on Jan. 6, 2021. The event began shortly before a violent mob of Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Eastman was the legal architect of one of several efforts to overturn Trump’s loss to Biden. Eastman drafted documents advancing a dubious legal theory that then-Vice President Mike Pence had the power to unilaterally refuse to certify Electoral College votes for Biden from key swing states.
Pence, who presided over Congress’ efforts to confirm Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021, refused to go along with that plan, despite pressure from Trump.
The notice of charges against Eastman say that his proposed strategies “were unsupported by law, based on false and misleading assertions of fact, and designed for the purpose of keeping Trump in office.”
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Read More: California state bar moves to disbar Trump ally John Eastman