John Eastman, California, & South Dakota

John Eastman is running for Attorney General of the State of California. He is also Assistant Attorney General for South Dakota. Therein is a tale.

But first, in the interests of full disclosure (and to show how cool I am), I note that John is a grad school buddy of mine. I know what he looks like with a beer in his hand. Or what he used to look like. Back then, we both had color in our hair. He is also short. I admire that in a man.

Here's the story, from the LA Times.

Republican attorney general candidate John Eastman has chosen the job description he will show voters on the June ballot: assistant attorney general. What he isn't saying, though, is that he is an assistant attorney general in South Dakota.

Eastman resigned as dean of the Chapman University School of Law in Orange in January. But he opted to use a title given to him for a case he's working on in South Dakota…

Eastman is being paid $20,000 by the South Dakota attorney general to work on one case, according to documents provided by his campaign. Working on the South Dakota case is Eastman's "primary professional occupation," according to documents he filed with the state.

His opponents in the GOP primary contest are crying foul.

His opponents have every right to complain, but I am not sure that it's very wise of them to complain. The rub is that, by listing his current employment as "assistant attorney general", voters will think that he is an assistant to the California Attorney General. Voters may think he is just a step below the office he is seeking, and view that as a significant qualification. Maybe. I think this story will be too well vetted for that, especially if he wins the primary.

It looks to me like John is running a bit of a risk here. Voters may see this as a bit of trickery, and in a relatively low profile race any bit can hurt. But it also means that he is getting a lot of free publicity right now. Name recognition alone might secure a Republican primary win.

As for the South Dakota angle, John is a very fine legal talent for us to secure in Reisch v. Sisney, No. 09-953. He clerked with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; he has written numerous briefs for court cases and participated in a number of high profile state cases; he is dean of a law school. The case involves a state prison inmate who is challenging the way kosher food is prepared at the prison. Charles E. Sisney brought suit "under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act for alleged interference with his ability to practice his Jewish faith."

Eastman is listed as attorney for the petitioners (that's basically us, the State of South Dakota). If the Supreme Court decides to hear the case, Eastman will appear to argue it on our behalf.

I have been out of California (praise be to God) for more than twenty years and I do not follow that state's politics closely enough to know what chance John has in this race. I do know that he would make an excellent attorney general. He is extraordinarily well-qualified. Having earned his Ph.D. in government at Claremont Graduate School, he knows how to take the Constitution of the United States seriously. California is such a dysfunctional state that I might not be doing him any favor to wish him good luck. But I do.

ps.  You can visit Eastman's website using this link: http://www.eastmanforag.com/.  If you like what you see, think about sending him a contribution. 

Comments

[Guard]

Both Republicans and Democrats have assaulted the Constitution for years: Bush and the GOP did it with passage of the soi-called Patriot Act. This act has invaded the "inherrent" right to privacy as ruled by the Warren Supreme Court. Yes, it is true that some degree of privacy was meant to exist by the Founders in order for the other liberties to exist. You can not have the other liberties without a government respecting a degree of your privacy. The Democrats will do it with the passage of the Healthcare Reform Bill and burried in the bill is a small section on RFID implantation. Republicans will eventually support Healthcare Reform because it forces everyone to buy insurance from the few private Insurance Companies left when the law takes effect in 2014....this will all occur after the HUGE SECOND WAVE hits us later this year for the economy as it continues to collapse. So, it does not really matter what we try to do because we have failed to stop this and will continue to fail to stop what is coming. It's basically out of our hands. The nation has turned away from God and no longer "REALLY" AND "TRULY" honors Him. Sure, they do in "lip service." I know, many of you Republicans are going to chastise me for speaking the Truth. you will come on and respond with "we are on the side with God" and "we uphold his principles," but the harsh reality is that none of us do. For "the Ways of the World" are NOT the His ways and many of you have already fallen into that trap of believing otherwise as you are all self-righteous and sanctimonious in your approach and judging others when the Good Lord never gave you that authority. I'll pray for all of you, but, in the end it will be the Lord's Will...Amen....

[Stace Nelson]

Well said, I disagree on some points; however, well said. Point made in several circumstances. Some carry His banner for personal gain and attention without actual "fear" of our Lord.

In regards to the Patriot Act: the vast breadth of information being transferred in the various medians, even while being glimpsed by intelligence efforts, still provides a level of privacy of being a stick of straw in a monster hay stack. It is kind of like having a patrol car patroling your neighborhood looking for that thief breaking into the house next door and the light from the spotlight casting light in your window.

May the Good Lord keep me ever the humble servant and grant me the success only of serving my fellow man, as per his previous blessings, and protect me from the pitfalls of pride and the distraction of ego. God bless...

[Stace Nelson]

Post Script: Good luck to Mr. Eastman, California could use such an adept public servant.

A sad statement of affairs that a convicted felon can hold captive the very entity that he has violated.

[Guard]

Stace, yah, a convicted felon who was put in office by who? We have an entire society of convicted felons and if they are not convicted felons...we are all sinners and you are not above anyone else in this World...nor do I claim to be.