John Eastman surrenders in Georgia election case

John Eastman, the former Trump lawyer who led efforts to overturn the 2020 election, has surrendered at the Fulton County jail. He was the second of 19 defendants to turn himself in Tuesday morning.

“I am here today to surrender to an indictment that should never have been brought,” Eastman said in a statement posted to his attorneys’ website. “It represents a crossing of the Rubicon for our country, implicating the fundamental First Amendment right to petition the government for redress of grievances.” 

Eastman designed and helped push a legal strategy attempting to overturn the 2020 election, which used slates of fake electors in battleground states to swing the election’s outcome in Trump’s favor. The plan also relied on then-Vice President Mike Pence tossing out the real electors.  

The lawyer faces nine charges linked to the Georgia probe, ranging from from conspiring to commit false statements and writings, and forgery, to state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act charges. He was given a prisoner identification number Tuesday and is currently detained.

On Monday, Eastman signed a $100,000 bond agreement with the Fulton County district attorney’s office.

Scott Hall, a bail bond business owner, was the first defendant in the case to be booked by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. His role in the alleged enterprise stems from the Coffee County election equipment breach.

District Attorney Fani Willis (D) gave the defendants until Friday at noon to surrender themselves. Trump said Monday evening that he plans to turn himself in Thursday.