David Eastman is a conservative state congressman serving Alaska’s 10th district. He’s a veteran and former firefighter who also cares a lot about the US Constitution and keeping America great.
In Eastman’s own life, that led him to join a group named the Oath Keepers.
As some may know, the Oath Keepers have been in the news a lot, due to some of their members and leader Stewart Rhodes having taken part in some of the rioting on January 6, 2021 at the US Capitol.
For his part, Eastman has been in trouble. He is potentially about to be thrown out of office for being an Oath Keepers member, but he recently got some very good news.
News: a trial court judge has ruled that Wasilla GOP Rep. David Eastman can keep his seat in the state House in spite of being an Oath Keepers member, because he hasn't specifically advocated for overthrow of the government himself. #AKleg pic.twitter.com/F5xieibLK6
— Nat Herz (@Nat_Herz) December 23, 2022
Eastman Will Be Allowed To Keep Serving
State Judge Jack McKenna ruled Eastman can stay serving in office because despite being in the Oath Keepers, Eastman has never actually said the federal or Alaska state government should be overthrown.
In other words, the attempts to get rid of Eastman were ruled by the judge to be an unfair attempt to find him guilty by association.
He’ll continue representing Alaska’s 10th district, despite the attempt by one Alaskan to get him tossed out by pushing a lawsuit against him. The lawsuit was based on claiming he was “disloyal” to the state of Alaska, due to his Oath Keepers membership.
Eastman is from Sarah Palin’s hometown of Wasilla. He’s a conservative individual who doesn’t say anything extreme. His own participation in Oath Keepers is really his business and this attempt to kick him to the curb didn’t work.
Rep. David Eastman keeps his seat in the #akleg.
Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna has ruled in favor of the Oath Keeper, finding that more than just mere membership in the group is required to disqualify someone under Alaska's disloyalty clause.
Ruling: https://t.co/u1TDaalLC6 pic.twitter.com/NdKZaqhWNW
— Matt Acuña Buxton (@mattbuxton) December 23, 2022
No ‘Specific Intent’
As Judge McKenna noted, Eastman has never shown any “specific intent” to cause harm to the government of Alaska or the US government.
He’s allowed to remain in office and has freedom of conscience to be part of any legal group he wishes to be part of. Eastman himself did take part in protests on January 6, 2021, but never entered the US Capitol.
He is a very popular politician in Alaska and got reelected by 25 points over his rival in the recent midterms last month.
This attempt to get him kicked out of office was not successful. It is clearly evident as a political ploy. Whoever was trying to get this guy in trouble will have to think of another way because this underhanded tactic did not work.
The Bottom Line
The persecution of Trump supporters and America First politicians like Eastman is shameful and shouldn’t even be happening in the first place.
Although justice has sunk to quite a low level at the federal level, this is good news for America. Americans are still allowed to hold unpopular beliefs. The judge made the right call here.
