Supreme Court denies former Trump attorney John Eastman's appeal over case with Jan. 6 committee

Justice Thomas recused himself from the case, which involved his former clerk.

Published: October 2, 2023 2:11pm

Updated: October 2, 2023 2:12pm

The Supreme Court on Monday denied an appeal from former Donald Trump attorney John Eastman, who was attempting to overturn a ruling that allowed the now-dissolved House Committee on the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Riot to access his emails that he said were protected by attorney-client privilege. 

Eastman had asked the Supreme Court to undo the ruling, but the high court said it would not take up the case, with a note stating: "Justice [Clarence] Thomas took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition."

Eastman is one of Thomas' former clerks, and the justice's wife spoke with Eastman in the weeks before Jan. 6, according to CNN.

The Jan. 6 committee, which dissolved when Republicans took over the House, had already obtained many of Eastman's emails, making the case effectively moot before the Supreme Court's announcement Monday.

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