John Eastman appeared on the screen during a hearing by the House of Representatives’ commission to investigate the attack on the US Capitol from January 6 to June 21. (Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images)
The FBI seized the phone of former President Donald Trump’s election lawyer John Eastman last week, according to a new court file from the conservative lawyer.
Eastman revealed the search and seizure in federal court in a lawsuit he filed in New Mexico on Monday, calling it incorrect.
The revelation underscores the aggressive steps the Ministry of Justice has taken in recent weeks as part of its ongoing criminal investigation.
Federal agents from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General, which is coordinating with the wider FBI investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office on January 6, 2021, last week attacked the home of former Justice Department employee Jeffrey Clark, a source familiar with the matter said. before CNN. The search – during which the involvement of the Justice Department’s chief inspector had not been announced earlier – came on the same day as Eastman’s.
The Inspector General investigates allegations of legal violations by officials of the Ministry of Justice and has the ability to conduct searches and seizures. Following an investigation, the Inspector General may refer possible criminal cases to prosecutors.
Eastman’s lawyers cite a reference in the order to the inspector general’s office, which potentially analyzes the contents of the phone, although it remains unclear to what extent the guard may be involved in his case.
Neither Eastman nor Clark has been charged with a crime.
Clark’s lawyers did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for the office of the chief inspector of the Ministry of Justice declined to comment on Monday.
Last Wednesday, about six federal investigators turned to Eastman in New Mexico as he was leaving a restaurant after dinner with his wife and friend, according to court documents. He was beaten and “forced to provide [facial] biometric data to open the phone, “said Eastman’s court records.
Agents were able to gain access to Eastman’s email accounts on his iPhone 12 Pro, the documents said.
Eastman was the last person whose communications became part of an extensive Justice Department investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Eastman claims that the agents “forced” him to unlock his phone.
In court, he asked a federal judge to force the Department of Justice to return his property, destroy the records they had received, and cut off investigators’ access to the telephone.
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