By — Justin Stabley Justin Stabley Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-you-need-to-know-about-john-eastmans-2020-election-charges Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What you need to know about John Eastman’s 2020 election charges Politics Sep 21, 2023 4:47 PM EDT Who is indicted alongside former President Donald Trump in the Georgia election case? Meet some of his co-defendants and read more about their specific charges. Attorney John Eastman, who advised Donald Trump near the end of his presidency, was one of 18 people indicted alongside the former president for allegedly participating in a wide-ranging effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. READ MORE: Read the full Georgia indictment against Trump and 18 allies He is accused of trying to persuade former Vice President Mike Pence to either delay Congress’ certification of electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, or reject some states’ slates of electors in order to allow alternate electors who would support Trump. Eastman is also believed to be one of the six co-conspirators listed in the Justice Department’s indictment of Trump, who was charged for trying to overturn the 2020 election. The co-conspirators, who are not yet named in the indictment, could still face charges. What charges does Eastman face? Eastman was charged on nine counts: Violation of Georgia’s RICO Act Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer 2 counts of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree 2 counts of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings Conspiracy to commit filing false documents Filing false documents What does the Fulton County indictment allege? The indictment released on Aug. 14 charges Trump and 18 alleged conspirators under Georgia’s RICO law, which is often used to prosecute criminal organizations. In addition, Eastman faces other conspiracy counts related to forgery, impersonating a public officer and filing false documents. The indictment alleges that Eastman, along with other Trump associates, contacted state officials in Arizona and Georgia whom they pressured to unlawfully appoint alternate slates of presidential electors who would vote in favor of Trump, in “an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy.” READ MORE: What you need to know about Kenneth Chesebro’s 2020 election charges Eastman and Trump are accused of filing a false document in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia that made multiple false claims that thousands of ineligible people voted illegally in the Georgia election. Earlier that day, according to the indictment, Eastman had admitted in an email to attorneys connected with the Trump campaign that some of these claims were not true. Prosecutors also highlighted an alleged meeting between Eastman, Trump and Pence that was held a few days before Jan. 6. The former president and Eastman allegedly suggested that Penceshould attempt to delay the official date for counting electoral votes in order to make time for certain states to appoint unlawful electors. According to Willis’ indictment, Eastman said during the meeting that these options “violated the Electoral Count Act.” Pence did not comply with this pressure campaign. What is Eastman’s connection to Trump? Ahead of the 2020 election, Eastman was brought on to Trump’s legal team by attorney Cleta Mitchell to help handle “anticipated post-election litigation,” according to a 2022 legal filing related to the House Jan. 6 committee investigation. The Georgia indictment mentions that Eastman spoke on Jan. 6 at Trump’s rally at the Ellipse, repeating false claims of election fraud before the crowd. Just hours before the Capitol insurrection, Eastman condemned Pence’s refusal to stop the ceremonial certification. “Anybody that is not willing to stand up to do it does not deserve to be in the office,” he said during the rally. What did Eastman do before working for Trump? Shortly after law school, Eastman worked as a law clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and then later for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Eastman is a founding director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a law firm that is part of the conservative think tank The Claremont Institute. READ MORE: Attorney John Eastman, who advised Trump’s efforts to undermine 2020 election, faces potential disbarment A long-time professor at Chapman University Law School in Southern California, Eastman served as dean from 2007 to 2010. . He attempted two runs for elected office, first for California’s 34th Congressional District in 1990, and then for California attorney general in 2010. After his appearance at the Jan. 6 rally Chapman University announced that Eastman had agreed to retire. The State Bar of California has been holding hearings across the summer to consider his disbarment. What does Trump’s federal indictment allege? Eastman is believed to be “co-conspirator 2” in the federal indictment brought by special counsel Jack Smith at the beginning of August. Prosecutors describe this conspirator as “an attorney who devised and attempted to implement a strategy to leverage the Vice President’s ceremonial role overseeing the certification proceeding to obstruct the certification of the presidential election.” The indictment from the Department of Justice says co-conspirator 2 encouraged lawmakers in certain states to decertify legitimate electors. It also alleges that in late December 2020, the individual “circulated a two-page memorandum outlining a plan for the Vice President to unlawfully declare [Trump] the certified winner of the presidential election,” while also acknowledging that his proposal would violate the Electoral Count Act. Eastman was also a primary focus of the House Jan. 6 committee’s investigation in June 2022. Under a subpoena to testify, he responded to nearly 150 questions by pleading the Fifth Amendment, according to CNN. Similarly, in 2022, Eastman pleaded the Fifth Amendment during the Fulton County special grand jury investigation that led to the recent Georgia indictment. By — Justin Stabley Justin Stabley Justin Stabley is a digital editor at the PBS NewsHour. @JustinStabley
Who is indicted alongside former President Donald Trump in the Georgia election case? Meet some of his co-defendants and read more about their specific charges. Attorney John Eastman, who advised Donald Trump near the end of his presidency, was one of 18 people indicted alongside the former president for allegedly participating in a wide-ranging effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. READ MORE: Read the full Georgia indictment against Trump and 18 allies He is accused of trying to persuade former Vice President Mike Pence to either delay Congress’ certification of electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, or reject some states’ slates of electors in order to allow alternate electors who would support Trump. Eastman is also believed to be one of the six co-conspirators listed in the Justice Department’s indictment of Trump, who was charged for trying to overturn the 2020 election. The co-conspirators, who are not yet named in the indictment, could still face charges. What charges does Eastman face? Eastman was charged on nine counts: Violation of Georgia’s RICO Act Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer 2 counts of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree 2 counts of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings Conspiracy to commit filing false documents Filing false documents What does the Fulton County indictment allege? The indictment released on Aug. 14 charges Trump and 18 alleged conspirators under Georgia’s RICO law, which is often used to prosecute criminal organizations. In addition, Eastman faces other conspiracy counts related to forgery, impersonating a public officer and filing false documents. The indictment alleges that Eastman, along with other Trump associates, contacted state officials in Arizona and Georgia whom they pressured to unlawfully appoint alternate slates of presidential electors who would vote in favor of Trump, in “an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy.” READ MORE: What you need to know about Kenneth Chesebro’s 2020 election charges Eastman and Trump are accused of filing a false document in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia that made multiple false claims that thousands of ineligible people voted illegally in the Georgia election. Earlier that day, according to the indictment, Eastman had admitted in an email to attorneys connected with the Trump campaign that some of these claims were not true. Prosecutors also highlighted an alleged meeting between Eastman, Trump and Pence that was held a few days before Jan. 6. The former president and Eastman allegedly suggested that Penceshould attempt to delay the official date for counting electoral votes in order to make time for certain states to appoint unlawful electors. According to Willis’ indictment, Eastman said during the meeting that these options “violated the Electoral Count Act.” Pence did not comply with this pressure campaign. What is Eastman’s connection to Trump? Ahead of the 2020 election, Eastman was brought on to Trump’s legal team by attorney Cleta Mitchell to help handle “anticipated post-election litigation,” according to a 2022 legal filing related to the House Jan. 6 committee investigation. The Georgia indictment mentions that Eastman spoke on Jan. 6 at Trump’s rally at the Ellipse, repeating false claims of election fraud before the crowd. Just hours before the Capitol insurrection, Eastman condemned Pence’s refusal to stop the ceremonial certification. “Anybody that is not willing to stand up to do it does not deserve to be in the office,” he said during the rally. What did Eastman do before working for Trump? Shortly after law school, Eastman worked as a law clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and then later for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Eastman is a founding director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a law firm that is part of the conservative think tank The Claremont Institute. READ MORE: Attorney John Eastman, who advised Trump’s efforts to undermine 2020 election, faces potential disbarment A long-time professor at Chapman University Law School in Southern California, Eastman served as dean from 2007 to 2010. . He attempted two runs for elected office, first for California’s 34th Congressional District in 1990, and then for California attorney general in 2010. After his appearance at the Jan. 6 rally Chapman University announced that Eastman had agreed to retire. The State Bar of California has been holding hearings across the summer to consider his disbarment. What does Trump’s federal indictment allege? Eastman is believed to be “co-conspirator 2” in the federal indictment brought by special counsel Jack Smith at the beginning of August. Prosecutors describe this conspirator as “an attorney who devised and attempted to implement a strategy to leverage the Vice President’s ceremonial role overseeing the certification proceeding to obstruct the certification of the presidential election.” The indictment from the Department of Justice says co-conspirator 2 encouraged lawmakers in certain states to decertify legitimate electors. It also alleges that in late December 2020, the individual “circulated a two-page memorandum outlining a plan for the Vice President to unlawfully declare [Trump] the certified winner of the presidential election,” while also acknowledging that his proposal would violate the Electoral Count Act. Eastman was also a primary focus of the House Jan. 6 committee’s investigation in June 2022. Under a subpoena to testify, he responded to nearly 150 questions by pleading the Fifth Amendment, according to CNN. Similarly, in 2022, Eastman pleaded the Fifth Amendment during the Fulton County special grand jury investigation that led to the recent Georgia indictment.