I am writing to ask you to join in supporting an ethics complaint that Lawyers Defending American Democracy will file next week against John Eastman, an attorney for Donald Trump, who assisted in efforts to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election. Our complaint asks the State Bar of California to investigate and, if appropriate, sanction Mr. Eastman for violations of the California Rules of Professional Conduct.

Thousands of you responded as online signatories to the complaint LDAD filed in January against Rudolph W. Giuliani, whose license to practice law was subsequently suspended, and this complaint similarly warrants such support from lawyers across the country.

You can review the complaint by clicking here >>

To signify your support, please complete the form here >>

Please note that the deadline for signing is Monday, December 13 at 5:00PM PST.

Our complaint against Mr. Eastman follows the meticulous and carefully documented complaint filed by States United Democracy Center in October with the State Bar of California, which you can review here, as well as a supplement filed last month, which you can review here. The LDAD complaint fully supports and incorporates the States United filing, but we submit this separate complaint to make a critical point that adds further weight to the importance of investigating Mr. Eastman for ethical violations.

Specifically, Mr. Eastman appears to have acted in concert with other attorneys, notably Rudolph Giuliani and former Department of Justice lawyer Jeffrey C. Clark, in an effort to install Mr. Trump in the office of President of the United States for another four years, notwithstanding the irrefutable fact that Joseph R. Biden had been lawfully elected. Their concerted action proceeded on several fronts simultaneously, thereby increasing the risk and danger of its success. Our complaint argues that this conduct by Mr. Eastman is an “aggravating circumstance” under California ethics rules that bears on both the decision whether to conduct an investigation and the severity of any eventual sanction.

Accountability for unethical conduct is critical to the rule of law and to public confidence in the legal profession.

We urge you to join us,

Scott Harshbarger
Co-Founder, LDAD
Two-time Attorney General of Massachusetts
Former National President, Common Cause