California disbars John Eastman over effort to reverse Trump’s 2020 election loss

California disbarred conservative attorney John Eastman on Wednesday for his role in efforts to overturn President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss, concluding a yearslong legal and disciplinary battle over his conduct. The California Supreme Court ordered Eastman disbarred and removed from the state’s roll of attorneys, a decision that bars him from practicing law in […]

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California disbarred conservative attorney John Eastman on Wednesday for his role in efforts to overturn President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss, concluding a yearslong legal and disciplinary battle over his conduct.

The California Supreme Court ordered Eastman disbarred and removed from the state’s roll of attorneys, a decision that bars him from practicing law in the Golden State.

The ruling follows a 2024 recommendation from the State Bar Court of California that Eastman lose his license after it found he violated professional ethics rules tied to his work challenging election results.

Eastman, a former law professor and dean at Chapman University, was a key legal adviser to Trump as he sought to overturn the election that declared former President Joe Biden the winner.

The now-disbarred lawyer helped craft a controversial legal strategy arguing that then-Vice President Mike Pence could reject certified electoral votes when Congress met on Jan. 6, 2021, to formalize the results — a claim Pence ultimately rejected.

State bar officials said Eastman repeatedly advanced claims of widespread election fraud in court filings, public statements, and legal memoranda, misleading judges, public officials, and voters.

The disbarment marks one of the most severe professional penalties imposed on a lawyer connected to attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Eastman had argued throughout the proceedings that he was being punished for providing legal advice and exercising his First Amendment rights. His attorney said he plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

The case stems from a series of disciplinary charges filed in 2023, accusing Eastman of making false and misleading statements and pursuing legal theories unsupported by evidence or law. A state bar judge found him culpable on most counts and recommended disbarment, citing the seriousness of the misconduct and its impact on public trust in the legal system.

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Eastman’s legal troubles extend beyond California. He was previously charged in Georgia as part of a broader election interference case, though those charges were later dropped.

State bar officials said the ruling reinforces a central principle of the legal profession: attorneys must uphold the rule of law and cannot use their positions to advance false claims or undermine democratic processes.