Trump attorneys may need their own lawyers after Jan. 6 report calls out their “key roles”

Unlike lawyers who get their client out of trouble, Trump's attorneys seem to have aided an illegal scheme

Published December 23, 2022 11:30AM (EST)

Donald Trump gestures at a press briefing (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump gestures at a press briefing (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

This article originally appeared on AlterNet.

As the House Select Committee continues its investigation into the January 6 insurrection, a new analysis is detailing the extent of trouble former President Donald Trump's lawyers could be facing.

In a piece published by Vice News, reporter Greg Walters discussed the latest developments for Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman. Noting that the committee is now zeroing in on the former president's legal team, Walters noted that the two are facing multiple criminal law violations in connection with the insurrection.

"The committee accused Trump of breaking four laws in the course of attempting to hold on to power after losing the 2020 election," Walters wrote, adding, "And Trump had plenty of help pursuing his nefarious schemes, the panel alleged—primarily from the guys normally tasked with keeping their client out of legal hot water."

He added, "Trump's lawyers, to the contrary, often seem to revel in cranking up the temperature. The committee singled out lawyers John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark, and Ken Chesebro for further investigation by the Department of Justice as potential Trump co-conspirators."

According to Walters: "Giuliani, Trump's longtime personal attorney, has already received a so-called 'target letter' from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, signaling that he is likely to face a criminal charge in the Peach State. Willis is investigating the Trump team's efforts to overturn his electoral defeat in Georgia, which Trump lost by a margin of less than 12,000 votes."

Walters went on to explain the violations Trump is facing. "The committee accused Trump of conspiracy, inciting or assisting an insurrection, and obstructing an official proceeding," he wrote. "Trump's attorneys played key roles in his efforts to overturn the election, according to the committee, alongside Trump's former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows."

He later explained why the potential violations for Giuliani and Eastman are so problematic. "By linking Trump's lawyers to Trump's efforts to disrupt Congressional certification of Biden's win, the committee is effectively saying that Trump broke the law with a little help from his friends," he explained.

But despite the alarming nature of the criminal referral, Eastman appears to have dismissed the issue. "A criminal 'referral' from a congressional committee is not binding on the Department of Justice and carries no more legal weight than a 'referral' from any American citizen," Eastman said. "In fact, a 'referral' from the January 6th committee should carry a great deal less weight due to the absurdly partisan nature of the process that produced it."

Trump has also shared his reaction with fiery posts on his social media platform, Truth Social. "These folks don't get it that when they come after me, people who love freedom rally around me," Trump wrote in a statement. "It strengthens me. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger."


By Meaghan Ellis

MORE FROM Meaghan Ellis


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Alternet Donald Trump Jeffrey Clark John Eastman Ken Chesebro Politics Rudy Giuliani