Federal judge rules Trump 'more likely than not' committed felony obstruction

U.S. District Judge David Carter issued a landmark ruling that Trump and attorney John Eastman "more likely than not" committed felonies by obstructing Congress's January 6 certification. Judge Carter wrote: "Dr. Eastman and President Trump launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history... it was a coup in search of a legal theory." The judge found Trump likely violated 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c), criminalizing corrupt obstruction of official proceedings. This was the first federal judicial finding that Trump's January 6 actions likely constituted criminal conduct. The ruling required Eastman to turn over 100+ emails, stripping attorney-client privilege under the crime-fraud exception.

"Dr. Eastman and President Trump launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history... it was a coup in search of a legal theory." — Judge David Carter's ruling in Eastman v. Thompson, March 28, 2022