CNN
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The California State Bar has unveiled new disciplinary charges against John Eastman for his involvement in former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
The state bar attorney brings 11 charges against Eastman, accusing him of violating various rules of attorney ethics in multiple episodes, court cases and other conduct.
Among the schemes targeted by the new disciplinary proceedings are documents filed in Eastman Georgia court and with the Supreme Court, the pressure campaign on then-Vice President Mike Pence to disrupt the certification of the Congress and Eastman’s promotion of false allegations of voter fraud.
“There is nothing more sacrosanct to our American democracy than free and fair elections and the peaceful transfer of power,” George Cardona, the state bar’s senior attorney, said in a statement. “The Notice of Disciplinary Charges alleges that Mr. Eastman breached that duty in an attempt to usurp the will of the American people and nullify the election results for the nation’s highest office – an attack blatant and unprecedented attack on our democracy – for which he must be held accountable.
An attorney for Eastman did not immediately respond to CNN’s inquiry into the disciplinary charges.
The charges say he violated ethics rules by pushing allegations of voter fraud – in litigation, in public statements and in other aspects of his legal work – “that he knew or had grossly negligent in not knowing they were false”. He is also accused of relying on legal theories he knew or should have known were “fundamentally wrong” to claim that Pence could interfere with Congress’ certification of the 2020 results.
Eastman now faces a deadline to respond to the charges.
Proceedings will eventually be transferred to a state bar court for adjudication, though the state’s supreme court will have the final say on whether disciplinary proceedings should be taken in the event of an attorney’s suspension or disbarment. .
Bar attorney said in new charges that Eastman knew or should have known the Pence regime was unconstitutional, with charging documents pointing to an October 2020 email from Eastman appearing to reject the idea that states could come up with alternative lists of voters – a key part of the proposals he championed after the election.
Eastman violated ethical rules for attorneys by failing to uphold the Constitution, according to disciplinary documents. He is also charged with attempting to mislead the courts and moral turpitude, including his allegations of misrepresentation.
Citing the slew of post-election litigation, as well as comments from members of the Trump administration, election officials and other “credible sources” that have debunked the voter fraud allegations, the disciplinary filings argue that Eastman knew or should have known he was making false claims about the election.
Eastman is the latest Trump-aligned attorney to face disciplinary proceedings for working on election cancellation plans. A DC Disciplinary Committee recently issued a preliminary finding that former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani violated ethics rules with his election litigation against Trump – although there are other rounds of proceedings before that this conclusion is finalized and that a sanction is determined.
Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department attorney who boosted Trump’s election-cancellation efforts, faces disciplinary proceedings, as does Sidney Powell, an attorney who represented Trump’s campaign in litigation challenging the 2020 results.
This story has been updated with additional information.
