Republican comments on January 6 seeking to overturn the democratic election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ought to sicken any American who truly loves this country. Here’s a peek via YouTube. And who was there? Chapman University’s School of Law’s John Eastman, who penned an article claiming that Kamala Harris was ineligible to be vice president because of her parents immigrant status from Jamaica and India. not her birth in Oakland.
Eastman is part of Trump’s legal team that’s 1 for 60 in legal challenges to Biden’s wins in various swing states. He was a prominent speaker at the “Save America” rally in Washington on January 6.
Here’s some of Eatsman’s nonsense: This argument, and this one.
These are pretty bad too: Here, and go tot he :56 minute mark here and Rudy’s introduction and 1:02 mark for Eastman’s comments at the rally.
There are calls from Eastman’s resignation or removal from his position at Colorado University and Chapman University. The president of Chapman University said Friday that controversial law professor John Eastman, had “publicly disparaged” the University. “This week, John Eastman, a member of the Chapman faculty, played a role in the tragic events in Washington, D.C., that jeopardized our democracy,” according to Dr. Daniele Struppa in a letter to the Chapman community. “Eastman’s actions are in direct opposition to the values and beliefs of our institution.. He has now put Chapman in the position of being publicly disparaged for the actions of a single faculty member, and for what many call my failure to punish and fire him.”
Dr. Struppa said that if it is determined that Eastman broke any laws, then “appropriate action” would be taken.
The simple solution, of course, is to vote with your pocketbook. Chapman alumni need to stop writing checks and let the chancellor’s office know why money isn’t forthcoming. Business organizations who write checks to the school should also follow suit to the point of asking for donations to be returned. C’mon Chapman Law graduates…time to step up. When it comes to the University’s finances or Eastman’s poor judgment on the 2020 election, Chapman may take a much longer look at the high cost of its association with Eastman.
There’s an effort to have Eastman removed from his position at Boulder and at Chapman. So far, Eastman seems safe in Boulder because, while the chancellor has condemned Eastman’s comments at the January 6 “Save America” rally, he has refused to fire Eastman.
Here’s the statement the University issued:
The University of Colorado Boulder understands that a visiting faculty member has served as President Trump’s counsel in election matters, and today continued to make baseless and unfounded statements regarding the 2020 presidential election at an event in Washington, D.C. Professor Eastman’s representation of President Trump and his appearance at a political rally is personal conduct. Professor Eastman does not act in any legal capacity to represent CU Boulder’s interests. Professor Eastman’s representation of a client and political activities are not within the course and scope of his duties at CU Boulder, and the campus does not exercise any oversight over them. His statements today do not in any sense reflect CU Boulder’s position.
Here’s a statement from multiple Chapman University faculty:
On December 9, 2020, Chapman University Law Professor John Eastman filed a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that the votes of 20,728,841 Americans be nullified so that his client – President Donald J. Trump – might claim a victory in the presidential election.
The justices declined to hear the case, which was founded on bizarre legal theories and misinformation.
In response, the following 159 members of the Chapman University faculty put forward the following statement:
“John Eastman’s brief asking the Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election in multiple states is a disgraceful attack on American democracy and must be regarded as such. This filing of errors and outright falsehoods — in which Eastman has used his Chapman email and phone number — is contrary to the core values of this university and should be regarded as an embarrassment. This is not who we are.”
Here’s a letter to the editor published by the LA Times:
To the editor: Last month, 159 Chapman University faculty members signed a statement of outrage that law professor John Eastman was using his university credentials in a spurious lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court. At the time, we did not call for his ouster.
But his actions Wednesday that helped incite a riot against the U.S. government put matters into a different realm. They should disqualify him from the privilege of teaching law to Chapman students and strip him of the honor of an endowed chair.
Eastman spouted lies about “secret folders” to fire up an angry crowd and stood approvingly next to Rudy Giuliani as he called for “trial by combat.” These conspiratorial claims of a stolen election were the basis of the insurrection.
Free speech is sacred, and tenured academics like Eastman have the privilege of speaking their mind without fear of repercussion. But Eastman abused that freedom. Consider the 1969 Supreme Court decision in Brandenburg vs. Ohio (1969), which provides broad protection for speech except that “directed to producing or inciting imminent lawless action.”
On this basis, we call on Chapman’s faculty senate, president, provost and law school dean to promptly take action against Eastman for his role in the events of Jan. 6.
Any failure to act by the university would hurt the careers of all faculty, alumni and staff at Chapman. Our research could be associated with extremism thanks to Eastman’s actions.
More importantly, our students deserve better. Eastman’s high-profile actions over the past year cannot be characterized as ethical, productive or of distinction. Throughout the year students and faculty have called for sanctions for his actions. He does not belong on our campus.
Lisa Leitz, associate professor of sociology and peace studies
Robert Slayton, professor of history
Wylie Aitken, chairman, Board of Trustees
Jennifer Keller, trustee
Loretta Sanchez, trustee and former member of Congress
This letter was also signed by 141 other Chapman University faculty. The list includes:
Lori Cox Han, Political Science
Fred Smoller, Political Science
Robert Slayton, History
John Compton, Political Science
Crystal Murphy, Political Science
Shira Klein, History
Gordon Babst, Political Science
Tom Zoellner, English
Bill Cumiford, History
Charissa Threat, History
Lisa Leitz, Peace Studies
Alex Bay, History
Carolyn Larmore, Law
Polly Hodge, World Languages
Mu-Xuan Lin, Music
Tony Mosconi, Physical Therapy
Steven Schandler, Psychology
Jo Armour Smith, Physical Therapy
Vincent Berardi, Psychology
Mary Kennedy, Communication Studies and Disorders
Stephen Coker, Music
Jeff Cogan, Music
Peter Atherton, Music
Heather Enriquez, Music
Tom Bradac, Theatre
John Benitz, Theatre
Jill Dunham, Mathematics
Martin Nakell, English
Richard Ruppel, English
Jennifer Bevan, Communications
Brenna Gormally, Biological Sciences
David Fouser, History
Nancy Martin, Religious Studies
Walter Piper, Biological Sciences
Lindsay Waldrop, Education
Stephanie Bailey, Physics
Michael Pace, Philosophy
Kenjiro Quides, Biological Sciences
Art Blaser, Political Science
Claudine Jaenichen, Art
Patrick Fuery, Creative and Cultural Industries
Morgan Read-Davidson, English
Andrea Molle, Political Science
Richard Bausch, English
Roselee Hellberg, Food Science
Lauren Dudley, Chemistry
Peter Simi, Sociology
Tekle Woldemikail, Sociology
James Brown, Peace Studies
Victoria Carty, Sociology
Rachel Goldberg, Film
Jeffrey Koerber, History
John Miklavcic, Food Science
Zachary Thammavongsy, Chemistry
Joanna Levin, English
Mark Axelrod, English
Jan Osborn, English
Julye Bidmead, Religious Studies
Micol Hebron, Art
Bobby Dexter, Law
Amy Buono, Art
Jennifer Villoria, Chemistry
Michael Kowalski, Film
Paul Gulino, Film
Bill Wright, Biological Sciences
Jay Boylan, Film
Anna Leahy, English
David Kost, Film
Sam Risak, English
Susan Isaacs, Film
Rei Magosaki, English
Don Cardinal, Education
Barbara Doyle, Film
Jim Fredrick, Film
Lia Halloran, Art
Joseph Rosenberg, Film
Stephen Galloway, Film
Madeline Warren, Film
Nam Lee, Film
Andrew Lane, Film
Ian Barnard, English
Barry Blaustein, Film
Mort Nathan, Film
Pavel Jech, Film
Whitney McIntyre Miller, Education
Stephen Hirsen, Film
Bill Rosenthal, Film
John Badham, Film
John Chichester, Film
Travis Knox, Film
Francesca Paduano, World Languages
Jillian Wood, Education
Brian Hoover, Biological Sciences
Bernard McGrane, Sociology
Lynn Horton, Sociology
Amy Graziano, Music
Samantha Dressel, English
Justine Van Meter, English
Jerry LaRue, Chemistry
Joe Matthews, Music
Fred Caporaso, Food Science
James Blaylock, English
Cathy Lesnick, Physical Therapy
Gail Stearns, Chapel
Rozell Prexy Nesbitt, Peace Studies
Jason Thornberry, English
Bill Rosenthal, Film
Kathryn Thibault, Public Relations and Advertising
Lynda Hall, English
Roberta Lessor, Sociology
Georgiana Bostean, Sociology
Andrew Manson, Political Science
Andrew Shalat, Art
Michael Wood, World Languages
Lemuel Day, Sociology
Anuradha Prakash, Food Science
Gil Bettman, Film
Bill Dill, Film
David Ward, Film
Bret Marcus, Film
Emily Carman, Film
Gregory Warren, Education
Paul Seydor, Film
Alexandra Rose, Film
Kelli Fuery, Film
James Dutcher, Film
Travis Knox, Film
Meghan Kemp-Gee, English
Karina Trejo Melendez, English
Tammi Yi, Music
Michael Fahy, Engineering
Kevin O’Brien, English
Junji Yoshida, World Languages
Sean Heim, Music
James Hirsch, World Languages
Julie Shafer, Art
Danielle Shorr, English
Jeff Swimmer, Film
Roy Finch, Film
Eileen Jankowski, English
Mark Harrison, Engineering
Barry W Blaustein, Film
Julia Boehm, Psychology
Katrina Prow, English
Matthew Leifer, Physics
Douglas Cooney, English
Jill Condon, Film
Susan Paterno, English
Alexander Kurz, Engineering
Anna Abdou, Psychology
Mark Maier, Education
Derrick Ortega, English
Tiffany Monroe, English
Megan McMurtrey, English
Ariel Banavan, English
Paige Welsh, English
Daniel Miess, English
John Koshak, Music
Jessica Sternfeld, Music
I am a Chapman Law alumnus. I agree, Eastman needs to go. However, your post suggests that you think this can happen with our pocketbooks. I think you may overestimate how many Chapman Law alumi actually give to the school. Based on my (non-scientific, purely anecdotal) knowledge of my colleagues, I think it’s probably not much. Thus, a threat to stop donating money won’t make much of a dent. And despite the number of professors who signed on to this letter, I note that there are only two professors from the law school who added their names. That’s not going to cut it.
Why does the left who claim to be liberal and tolerant always do the opposite. They never debate the facts. They brook no dissent and when they disagree with you, they try to shut you down and cancel you.
what facts would you like to debate? Georgia counted votes three times — once by hand confirming the other two counts. Trump has 30,000 documented lies; can we debate those facts?
well, the LA Times is reporting that Eastman won’t be fired. Hopefully he is shamed into resigning.
he’s retired effective immediately