Beyond the Eastman memo

John Eastman counseled President Trump in the aftermath of the 2020 election. I have commented critically on his contribution to the events of January 6 previously, but today I want to draw attention to his close encounter with the FBI last week. Tucker Carlson included the video in his brief segment with John last night. It is chilling.

The AP covers the story here. Orin Kerr takes up the legality of the search and seizure in a Twitter thread here. We remain to be illuminated on the criminal law for which the FBI claims it has probable cause against Eastman. Late in the thread he notes that the warrant does not extend beyond the seizure of John’s phone (i.e., it covers seizure only).

Eastman’s close encounter with the FBI last week was obviously coordinated with the close encounters of Trump Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark and Nevada GOP chairman Michael McDonald. The FBI appears to have taken up the role of the ruling party’s enforcement arm.

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