Attorney John Eastman, a lead architect of some of former President Donald Trump's efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election, faces possible disbarment in disciplinary proceedings that began Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Eastman faces 11 disciplinary charges stemming from his development of a legal strategy aimed at helping Trump overturn the election by disrupting the counting of state electoral votes.
The State Bar Court of California will hear testimony, including from Eastman, in a proceeding that could result in him losing his license to practice law in the state. Others who will testify include Greg Jacob, a former attorney for then-Vice President Mike Pence. Jacob had pushed back against Eastman’s plan to have Pence stop the certification of Joe Biden’s victory. Pence has said he didn't have the power to overturn the election.
In a memo, Eastman argued that Pence could keep Trump in power by overturning the results of the election during a joint session of Congress convened to count electoral votes.
The proceedings are expected to last at least eight days. If the State Bar Court finds Eastman culpable of the alleged violations it can recommend a punishment such as suspending or revoking his law license. The California Supreme Court makes the final decision.
Eastman is scheduled to testify in his own defense Tuesday.
The State Bar alleges that Eastman violated California's business and professions code by making false and misleading statements that constitute acts of “moral turpitude, dishonesty, and corruption,” and in doing so he “violated this duty in furtherance of an attempt to usurp the will of the American people and overturn election results for the highest office in the land — an egregious and unprecedented attack on our democracy.”
Eastman's attorney previously said his client disputes “every aspect” of the allegations.
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