Judge speeds up review of lawyer John Eastman's emails sought by January 6 committee

Washington — A federal judge in California said Monday he will speed up the review of emails conservative lawyer John Eastman is seeking to withhold from the House select committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

The order from U.S. District Judge David Carter in the Central District of California indicates Eastman is working to keep 568 pages of emails exchanged between January 4, 2021, and January 7, 2021, from the House panel, asserting attorney-client privilege and other attorney work-product privileges. Carter wrote that the select committee "has repeatedly noted the significance of communications immediately before and after the January 6 attack on the Capitol."

"Given the investigation's urgency, the court finds it appropriate" to speed up its review of the records, the judge said. Carter scheduled oral arguments regarding Eastman's justifications for shielding the communications, which are held by his former employer Chapman University, for March 9.