Trump Lawyer Eastman Blocks Documents from Jan 6 Committee

APR 19 2022·Updated JAN 20 2023

Story

Image credit: MediaNews Group/The Denver Post [via CNN]

The Facts

According to a new filing, John Eastman, a lawyer for former president Trump, is attempting to withhold over 3,000 documents totaling ~36k pages from the Jan. 6 Committee through the assertion of attorney-client privilege.
CBS News
The motion was filed as part of a status report in the ongoing litigation between the Committee and the former Chapman University professor.
CBS News
Federal judge David Carter largely rejected Eastman's prior assertions of privilege in the case after an in-camera review revealed evidence of a potential crime, which would negate any claims to attorney-client privilege.
Politico
In the prior ruling, Eastman was ordered to turn over 101 documents from his Chapman university emails dating to the days surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
CNN
Representatives for the Jan. 6 Committee have objected to every new privilege assertion made by Eastman, and the documents will likely be subject once again to in-camera review by the judge.
Politico
Judge Carter has already ruled that Eastman, who outlined a plan of action for challenging Trump's election loss in 2020, "more likely than not" engaged in a criminal conspiracy to obstruct Congress in order to help Trump remain in office.
Daily Mail

Sources Split

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The Spin

Democratic narrative

It's no wonder that Eastman desperately wants to avoid having his communications come to light, but his new privilege claims are destined to fail just like his previous ones. He participated in what the judge has already called "a coup in search of a legal theory," and his unlawful actions must be revealed to the American public.

Raw Story

Pro-Trump narrative

The documents in question all stem from Eastman's legal representation of former President Trump and/or his presidential campaign. Attorney-client privilege is sacred and shouldn't be tossed out for partisan gain.

Daily Mail