Eastman faced scrutiny for his role in advising Trump on strategies to overturn the 2020 election resulting in charges of conspiracy of impersonation, false statements, forgery, and more.
John Eastman is an American attorney, constitutional law scholar, and former professor who gained attention for his role in legal efforts challenging the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Born on April 21, 1960, Eastman has a background in academia and has been involved in conservative legal circles.
Academic Career:
- Eastman earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and a Ph.D. in Government from the Claremont Graduate School.
- He became a professor of law and the founding director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law.
Legal and Scholarly Work:
- Eastman is known for his work in constitutional law and has published articles and books on legal and political issues.
- He has been associated with conservative legal organizations and think tanks, advocating for originalist interpretations of the Constitution.
Involvement in Trump’s Legal Efforts:
- In 2020, John Eastman became involved in legal efforts challenging the results of the presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump.
- He crafted legal theories that were part of the unsuccessful attempts to overturn the election results, particularly in relation to alleged irregularities in swing states.
Controversial “Two-Track” Memo:
- Eastman gained attention for a controversial memo he wrote, known as the “two-track” memo, which outlined a strategy for Vice President Mike Pence to reject electoral votes during the congressional certification process.
- The memo proposed a legal theory that was widely criticized for lacking a constitutional basis.
Legal and Ethical Scrutiny:
- Eastman faced legal and ethical scrutiny for his role in promoting baseless claims of election fraud and for his involvement in the efforts to challenge the election results.
- His actions were criticized by legal scholars, including within conservative legal circles.
- Eastman was ultimately charged in the Georgia RICO case.