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Judge says ex-Trump lawyer John Eastman should be disbarred

An attorney discipline judge in California has recommended that ex-Trump election lawyer John Eastman be disbarred in their state, according to an opinion. CNN’s Jessica Schneider reports on the charges against him, and Author David Cay Johnston joins Erica Hill to discuss. #CNN #News

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6 hours ago

Breaking news, a judge just ruling former Trump lawyer John Eastman should be disbarred. You'll remember Eastman is one of the key figures at the center of Trump's plot to overturn the 2020 election. In fact, he was known as the architect of the fake elector scheme. Jessica Schneider is OUTFRONT following this breaking news for us. So this ruling is just coming in. What more are we learning? Yeah, this was just moments ago, Erica. This is a California judge with the attorney Discipline court. Sh
e's recommending that John Eastman's law license be revoked in California. And this is a decision that follows a 34 day trial where more than a dozen witnesses detailed Eastman's scheme to undermine the 20 2020 election. And this also comes at a time when several of the attorneys who did back Trump or once backed Trump are all in professional peril. Do you still think the election was stolen? Absolutely. John Eastman and Jeffrey Clark are still defiant. They've tried to destroy me, but I'm still
standing and I'm going to keep fighting. More than three years after they allegedly worked with then President Trump to try to overturn the 2020 election. Do you regret attaching your name to the former president? None whatsoever. John Eastman operated as the so-called architect behind the fake elector scheme, and Jeffrey Clark instigated an intense pressure campaign inside the Justice Department to try to get DOJ officials to help overturn the election for Trump. Now, both men are facing profe
ssional reckonings. Eastman and Clark have been sitting through attorney disciplinary hearings in recent weeks and months that could ultimately result in them losing their law licenses. A criminal conspiracy. They are also both defendants charged in the Georgia election subversion case. I'm here today to surrender to an indictment that should never have been brought. It targets attorneys for their zealous advocacy on behalf of their clients, something attorneys are ethically bound to provide, an
d which was attempted here by formally challenged the results of the election through lawful and appropriate means. While Eastman has been fighting those criminal charges, his attorney disciplinary case has been unfolding in California. He's charged by the state bar with 11 counts related to his plot to obstruct the electoral counting process. They're trying to take my bar license. Jeffrey Clark's professional ethics trial started this week in Washington, D.C. Richard Donoghue, who was then depu
ty attorney general while Clark served as head of the civil Division, testified Tuesday to the disciplinary committee that Clark's theories of election fraud were not supported by evidence and that Clark was repeatedly told there was no proof of tampering. I said, This is nothing less than the Justice Department meddling in an election. His reaction was, I think a lot of people have meddled in this election. America's mayor, Rudy Giuliani, accompanied by Professor John Eastman. John Eastman was
closely aligned with Rudy Giuliani, who is also facing possible disbarment for his role during the 2020 election. Let's have trial by combat. They're just a few of the handful of Trump lawyers who have faced severe consequences for their roles working to overturn the 2020 election. Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis and Kenneth Cesaro have all pleaded guilty in the Georgia case. Eastman and Clark have pleaded not guilty, and Jeffrey Clarke's proceedings are still ongoing. In fact, he took the stand toda
y. He pleaded the fifth. He didn't answer any questions. Now, Erica. As for John Eastman, of course, we just got that ruling in from the California judge recommending disbarment. What happens next is the California Supreme Court will have to decide whether to endorse or reject that recommendation and officially disbar Eastman. But of course, this step from the judge is very significant. After that lengthy fact finding, finding trial that lasted 34 days. And in the meantime, Erica Eastman has bee
n ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. And while the Supreme Court of the state of California considers this, in three days, his law license will, in fact, be suspended while the Supreme Court decides exactly what to do. Wow. Really appreciate it, Jessica. Thank you. OUTFRONT now, David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist who's covered Donald Trump for more than 30 years. David, this judge recommending John Eastman should be disbarred. On the same day, Jeffrey Clark faces tri
al to determine whether he will be punished. When you think about it, these are just two of the many lawyers facing potential points of consequences for their role in the 2020 election scheme. Rudy Giuliani's law license was suspended in New York. Eight lawyers in total charged in the Georgia case. What is remarkable is how Donald Trump continues to attract people to do his bidding, given the consequences for many of them, how is he able to do that? Well, we've, in fact, seen people go to prison
for Donald Trump. People who need to feel attached to something important will simply surrender their integrity. If they had me in the first place in order to be close to Donald. You know, Donald was always said, I hired the best people, the very best people. Well, occasionally he does get the very best people. They leave. The people he attracts are the absolute worst, including all of these lawyers who tried to overthrow our government and commit other crimes on Donald's behalf. We're also lea
rning tonight that Mike Lindell of Mypillow has reportedly been kicked out of a factory in Minnesota for failing to pay at least $200,000 in rent. We know he's facing some major financial repercussions for his election conspiracy theories. He owes millions in unpaid fees to his lawyers. Also, a software engineer who debunked his data, Lindell telling the AP that the business on the heels of being kicked out of the out of the factory is just fine. It's just it's just shifting. He's still pushing
these election lies. I mean, as again, as we look at it, is it surprising to you that we are at this point at all? No, because once people get into a cult and I've written several exposés in my career of cults, they lose all perspective and they only see things through the lens of the cult. Lindell is a good example of how Trump and many of the people around him are imprudent. They they don't pay their bills. They take big risks. Lindell has been traveling all over the country in his private jet
. Instead of paying his rent as a perfectly good example. It's remarkable to see the way that the former president is continuing to try to raise money. I mean, very creative. You have to give him points for creativity. The latest is the God Bless the USA Bible, which he is hawking for 60 bucks. Donald Trump saying in a video it's his favorite book and it's being advertised as the only Bible endorsed by President Trump. There were, of course, also the golden never surrender $400 high tops, those
sold out and now a victory, 47 fragrance line. You can preorder 100 bucks a bottle. What do you think is next? And I actually mean, that is a serious question. What do you think is next? What do you think people will buy? Well, these stunts by Donald are not really intended to bring in a lot of money. There were only a few hundred of the shoes, for example, which quickly went on sale for a quarter of what he wanted to charge for them. They're part of his effort to persuade people he really is a
Christian, despite having repeatedly called Christians fools, idiots and schmucks in the past. And to come up with anything that will continue to get us in the news business to follow him and pay attention to him by saying wild and outlandish things. The Bible may be an effort by him to try and broaden his base a little bit. He's made it mostly been focused on deepening his base, not broadening it. This perhaps is an effort to broaden it, although to anyone who's an actual Christian, it should b
e blasphemous. David Cay Johnston, really appreciate your insight tonight. Thank you.

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