Jan. 6 Panel Wants More John Eastman Emails John Eastman (Getty Images)
By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 15 September 2022 09:05 AM EDT
The Jan. 6 House committee wants to see additional emails sent by John Eastman, a lawyer who had advised then-President Donald Trump on attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, Politico is reporting.
Committee counsel Douglas Letter, in a Wednesday court filing, asked a federal judge in California to review the remaining emails.
Letter wants U.S. District Court Judge David Carter to determine if Eastman's efforts to shield them, by claiming of attorney-client privilege, were legitimate, Politico said.
"As the Select Committee reaches the final months of its tenure under its current authorizing resolution, it now respectfully seeks such in camera review so that it may complete its efforts, including preparation of the final report," Letter said in the court filing.
Carter's rulings have already resulted in the release to the committee of a trove of Eastman's emails, Politico noted.
In March, Carter, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, offered the opinion that Trump "more likely than not" attempted to obstruct Congress when he sought to contest the certification of the 2020 Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021.
"Based on the evidence, the court finds it more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021," Carter ruled.
The opinion was delivered in a ruling that ordered 101 personal emails from Eastman to be turned over to the select committee.
All the emails come from filed held by Chapman University, where Eastman used to work, according to Politico.
The committee has subpoenaed Eastman, who pleaded the Fifth during a December meeting before the panel, Politico said.