![John Eastman surrenders in Georgia election [UPDATE]](https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_huffington_post_584/74c873331adcb6404fdd691ba8adcbd5 "John Eastman surrenders in Georgia election [UPDATE]")
John Eastman, one of the attorneys who played a central role in Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election, surrendered to Georgian authorities Tuesday after charging in the case filed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis .
Eastman, who is among Trump’s 18 co-defendants in the 98-page indictment Willis released last week, faces nine counts, including one of violating Georgia’s RICO law.
“I am here today to surrender to a charge that should never have been brought,” Eastman said in a statement. “It represents a crossing of the Rubicon for our country and implies the fundamental First Amendment right to petition the government for redress of grievances.”
Eastman added that he expects he and the other defendants in the case to be rehabilitated.
“My legal team and I will vigorously challenge every count in which I am named, as well as every count in which others are named, where my knowledge of the relevant facts, laws and constitutional provisions may prove helpful,” he said.
Earlier Tuesday, Scott Hall, a bail bondsman, became the first defendant to stand trial at the Fulton County Jail. Hall was charged with seven counts for his role in stealing voting equipment in Coffee County. His bail was set at $10,000.
Ahead of Eastman’s surrender Tuesday, Judge Yvette Roland, who is presiding over a separate disbarment case against Eastman in California, said she would postpone the case so that he could stand trial in Georgia.
“Based on recent email exchanges between and with the parties, the court stands ready to make certain changes to this week’s hearing schedule to accommodate Dr. Eastman’s surrender in Fulton County, Georgia, which the court said will take place on Wednesday. August 23,” Judge Yvette Roland wrote, according to CNN.
His bail was set at $100,000 and the agreement also said he should refrain from intimidating any co-defendants or witnesses in the case.
The story goes on
The indictment alleges that on Jan. 4, two days before the deadly Capitol riot, Eastman and Trump proposed that then-Vice President Mike Pence either delay confirming the election result during the joint session of Congress or reject certain states’ votes should. Electoral votes, even though Eastman knew both options were against the law.
Harvey Silverglate, Eastman’s attorney, previously dismissed the charges against his client as politically motivated.
“Lawyers around the world should be sleepless at this latest ploy to criminalize their advocacy,” Silverglate said Aug. 15. “This is a legal cluster bomb that makes unexploded regulations available to attorneys forever.” Eastman will challenge these charges in all forums available to him.”
Meanwhile, Trump said he plans to turn himself in at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on Thursday. His bail contract is set at $200,000 and instructs him not to intimidate witnesses, including on social media.
Aside from the Georgia case, Eastman is reportedly identified as co-conspirator 2 in the Jan. 6 indictment filed against Trump by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Eastman is accused, among other things, of asking then-Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives Rusty Bowers to reject Joe Biden’s win in the state.
This article was updated to reflect that Eastman turned himself in to Georgia authorities on Tuesday.
