In a short video released this morning, Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams and insurrectionist attorney John Eastman teamed up to explain why they need loyal Colorado conservatives to pony up $50,000. The money won’t support the party’s political activity, but rather will pay Eastman to continue his attempt to overturn the state’s open primary process, which was passed by voters eight years ago. The QR code displayed on the screen takes viewers not to the state party’s website, but to Eastman’s own Claremont Institute.
Williams is making this ask despite the fact that the GOP only raised $32,535 in January. That total represents a dramatic drop from its recent monthly hauls, which included large influxes of cash from both national GOP committees as well as presidential campaigns paying five-figure fees to gain ballot access for the primary. Moreover, the party spent $17,000 more than it raised over the same 30-day window, including a sizable raise for Williams himself, who took home $11,000 in January, after receiving $9,000 last December, and $6,000 the month prior.
Williams did not respond to an email request for comment as to whether he had any concerns about directing donors to Eastman’s nonprofit rather than the state party’s political coffers. The Colorado Times Recorder also asked if any agreement has been negotiated with Eastman to return some or all of the funds should he either lose his law license or be convicted of any of the nine criminal charges he currently faces in Georgia. This article will be updated with any response received.
In the video Eastman presents the lawsuit as a fight against big government.
“One of the reasons the Republican Party nationwide is in trouble is there are so many people in its leadership that like the status quo or aren’t willing to fight to challenge the status quo, says Eastman. “Our government is increasingly shutting down our speech rights, our election rights and acting tyrannically against our fellow citizens.”
When the party first started raising money for this lawsuit, it created a separate legal fund so that any donations received were restricted from being used for political activity. Williams appointed former state Senator Kevin Lundberg, who also runs the Republican Study Committee of Colorado, to administer the fund. Lundberg’s voice can be heard at the end of this latest fundraising appeal.
The video was shared by party Vice Chair Hope Scheppelman, who promised that donors’ generosity “will directly contribute to our advocacy efforts, including outreach, education, and legal initiatives.”
A California judge just pushed her deadline to rule on Eastman’s law license, which was expected to come within days, out a month, to the end of March. Eastman’s co-counsel on the open primary case, Randy Corporon, who also serves as the state party’s RNC Committeeman, has said that Eastman could continue to assist on the case even if he is disbarred.
Eastman is fundraising on several fronts at once. He posted another appeal today on his “Legal Defense” website today, asking for help fighting “leftwing lawfare lawyers and their allies” whom he say are forcing him “to defend against this vicious, coordinated, unbridled lawfare assault.” He signed the request, “John Eastman, Constitutional Scholar & Attorney for President Donald J. Trump.”
