Law Prof John Eastman Retires From Chapman 'Effective Immediately' Amidst Uproar Over Speaking At Trump Rally Last Wednesday

Los Angeles Times, Chapman Professor Will Retire After Uproar Over His Speaking at Trump Rally:

Capping days of growing uproar, Chapman University announced Wednesday that a professor who participated in the pro-Trump rally the same day that a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol would retire immediately.

John Eastman, an endowed professor and constitutional law scholar at Chapman, spoke alongside Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani at the “Save America” rally Jan. 6, making the unsubstantiated claim that “secret folders” inside ballot-counting machines skewed both the presidential and Georgia Senate race results in Democrats’ favor.

Chapman President Daniele Struppa said in a statement that the university and Eastman had reached an agreement and Eastman would retire immediately. Both parties agreed not to take any kind of legal action, including over claims of defamation, which Eastman had alleged.

More than 160 Chapman faculty members had signed a letter calling for the university’s faculty senate, provost, president and law school dean to take action against Eastman, including stripping him of his endowed professorship and removing him from teaching students.

Statement of Chapman President Daniele Struppa:

After discussions over the course of the last week, Dr. John Eastman and Chapman University have reached an agreement pursuant to which he will retire from Chapman, effective immediately. Dr. Eastman’s departure closes this challenging chapter for Chapman and provides the most immediate and certain path forward for both the Chapman community and Dr. Eastman. Chapman and Dr. Eastman have agreed not to engage in legal actions of any kind, including any claim of defamation that may currently exist, as both parties move forward.

• Forbes, John Eastman — Trump Lawyer Who Spoke At Last Week’s Rally — Leaves Law School Post Due To ‘Hostile Environment’
• Inside Higher Ed, Chapman Professor Who Spoke at Jan 6 Pro-Trump Rally Retires
• Law & Crime, ‘Unf***ingbelievable,’ Attorneys Sigh as Trump Lawyer and Kamala Harris Birther Conspiracy Theorist Blames Antifa for Capitol Riots
• Orange County Register, Controversial Law Professor John Eastman Retires From Chapman University
• Slate, A Federalist Society Star Helped Foment the Capitol Riot
• Karen Sloan (Law.com), Law Prof Who Spoke at White House Rally Abruptly Retires Amid Calls for His Firing
• Washington Post, Law Professor John Eastman Spoke at Rally Before Capitol Riots. Facing Outrage, He Won’t Return to His University.

(Hat Tip: Diane Klein)