John Eastman lawyer stumbles when asked if his client advocated breaking the law

Attorney Harvey Silverglate, who is representing former Trump lawyer John Eastman, stumbled on Thursday when asked by CNN's Poppy Harlow about his client's advice to former President Donald Trump.

During the interview, Harlow read instances cited in special counsel Jack Smith's indictment of the former president in which he outlined alleged instances where Eastman knowingly advocated breaking the law to keep Trump in power.

"Alleged in the indictment is that John Eastman, your client, asked the vice president's counsel, Mike Pence's counsel, to break the law in writing, that he did this on the night of January 6th," she began and then quoted directly from the indictment. "'Co-conspirator wrote, I implore you to consider one more relative minor violation of the [Electoral Count Act] and adjourn for ten days.' Would you concede that your client did that and asked the vice president to break the law?"

"Yes," replied Silverglate, before rushing to correct himself. "No, no!"

The attorney then went on to explain his theory as to why advocating for a violation of the law was not illegal.

"I don't concede that he asked the vice president to break the law," he said. "He asked the vice president to engage in a minority view, a very minority view, but there is an interpretation of the law here that is within the bounds of reason."

Silverglate went on to tout the fact Eastman made no threats against Pence's lawyers when he advocated for violating the Electoral Count Act.

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