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Georgia prosecutor warns Republicans that they risk being charged for their involvement in the efforts by the former president's supporters to rig the 2020 election.
Donald Trump's lawyer, John Eastman, did not follow the ex-POTUS's previous claims about invoking the Fifth Amendment.
During the 2016 presidential election, Trump likened pleading the Fifth Amendment to mob behavior. He said that a person who's innocent has no reason to plead the fifth.
But just this week, it was confirmed that Eastman pleaded the Fifth Amendment nearly 150 times after he received a subpoena pertaining to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Eastman did not attend the insurrection, but he spoke at the "Stop the Steal" rally that took place just hours before the siege. The gathering was attended by approximately 10,000 Trump supporters.
John Eastman invoked his Fifth Amendment due to fear
While he was there, Eastman claimed that there was election fraud two years ago. He also alleged that even dead people voted in favor of Joe Biden.
"Dr Eastman has a more than reasonable fear that any statements he makes pursuant to this subpoena will be used in an attempt to mount a criminal investigation against him," Eastman's lawyer, Charles Burnham said via The Independent.
John Eastman's former employer subpoenaed by committee
But even if Eastman pleaded the Fifth Amendment in relation to the Capitol riot, he could still be forced to respond to another set of questions pertaining to a second subpoena, which was sent to his former employer, Chapman University.
Eastman and his lawyer previously tried to block Chapman University from handing over 19,000 emails to the committee. But the subpoena means the committee can finally gain access to the emails.
John Eastman has ties to Capitol riot, election fraud claims
Federal Judge David Carter determined where exactly Eastman was while Trump was devising a plan to overturn the 2020 election result.
Eastman's lawyer also told the judge that his client worked for Trump during a slew of controversial moments leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
For instance, Eastman was with Trump when he told state legislators they needed to fix things before Biden heads to the White House on Jan. 2. Eastman was also with Trump and his other contacts when they met Mike Pence on Jan. 3. During that time, they discussed how they could block the congressional certification of the 2020 vote, according to CNN.
Earlier this week, Carter also dismissed some of Eastman's arguments, including his claims that the committee lacked the authority to issue subpoenas in the first place.
Judge dismisses John Eastman's arguments
Trump's lawyer also said that several of the documents that the committee is seeking would reveal important information about his other clients at Chapman University.
However, the judge dismissed all of Eastman's arguments pertaining to the documents that he doesn't want to release, according to Politico.
As of press writing, the Jan. 6 committee has already issued more than 60 subpoenas against Trump and his supporters. However, the ex-POTUS has not been charged because he still hasn't cooperated with the committee.
In fact, Trump previously cited his executive privilege while trying to block the committee from getting their hands on his White House documents. But his request was denied by the investigating panel.
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