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At issue is whether Eastman’s affiliation with Oath Keepers is sufficient to disqualify him from holding any public office in Alaska. The Alaska Constitution’s loyalty clause bars individuals from holding office if they belong to a group that “advocates the overthrow by force or violence of the United States or of a State.”
alaskawatchman.com
Ironically, The Oath Keepers are a group which has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution, such as military, police, and first responders. You can read about them in their own words here:
The case of Alaska State Rep. David Eastman is bizarre and unprecedented, but it isn’t complicated. Put simply, left-wing activists are trying to trample the First Amendment and disenfranchise voters in Eastman’s district by asking a judge to rule him ineligible to hold office in the state.
Why? Because Eastman, 41, is a conservative. So are his constituents in Wasilla who recently elected him to a fourth term. If freedom of speech and association mean anything, Eastman should win his case easily. But the fact that he has to fight in court for the right to represent the people who elected him, and to clear his good name, is a testament to the relentless efforts of the left to criminalize the views of their political opponents and slander them as insurrectionists.
The details of Eastman’s ordeal almost defy belief. This week, a trial began in Anchorage to determine whether the Alaska lawmaker’s association with the Oath Keepers disqualifies him from holding office on the grounds that his alleged membership in the organization runs afoul of the Alaska constitution’s loyalty oath, which bars individuals from holding office if they belong to a group that “advocates the overthrow by force or violence of the United States or of a State,” or if they themselves advocate the same. A second part of the suit demands that the Alaska Division of Elections conduct assessments of every candidate’s loyalty to the Constitution so that voters will only be able to vote for candidates whose views have been officially approved by the state’s election bureaucracy.
thefederalist.com
Judge has allowed lawsuit to proceed, even though plaintiff is not a voter in District 27. Judge says plaintiff has standing because plaintiff is an Alaskan. Order here:
Whatever happens in his case, the fact that Eastman has been hauled into court should stand as a warning to every conservative: The left intends to criminalize dissent, to declare some political opinions beyond the pale, and some votes more equal than others.
Judge denies Eastman request to toss lawsuit. Trial begins Dec. 12
Anchorage Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna denied a request by Alaska State Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla) to dismiss a lawsuit aimed at disqualifying him from holding public office due to his…
alaskawatchman.com
Ironically, The Oath Keepers are a group which has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution, such as military, police, and first responders. You can read about them in their own words here:
Oath Keepers USA | National Website
usaoathkeepers.com
The case of Alaska State Rep. David Eastman is bizarre and unprecedented, but it isn’t complicated. Put simply, left-wing activists are trying to trample the First Amendment and disenfranchise voters in Eastman’s district by asking a judge to rule him ineligible to hold office in the state.
Why? Because Eastman, 41, is a conservative. So are his constituents in Wasilla who recently elected him to a fourth term. If freedom of speech and association mean anything, Eastman should win his case easily. But the fact that he has to fight in court for the right to represent the people who elected him, and to clear his good name, is a testament to the relentless efforts of the left to criminalize the views of their political opponents and slander them as insurrectionists.
The details of Eastman’s ordeal almost defy belief. This week, a trial began in Anchorage to determine whether the Alaska lawmaker’s association with the Oath Keepers disqualifies him from holding office on the grounds that his alleged membership in the organization runs afoul of the Alaska constitution’s loyalty oath, which bars individuals from holding office if they belong to a group that “advocates the overthrow by force or violence of the United States or of a State,” or if they themselves advocate the same. A second part of the suit demands that the Alaska Division of Elections conduct assessments of every candidate’s loyalty to the Constitution so that voters will only be able to vote for candidates whose views have been officially approved by the state’s election bureaucracy.
In Alaska, The First Amendment Is On Trial
The spurious case against an Alaska lawmaker's eligibility to hold elected office represents a threat to free speech and free elections.
thefederalist.com
Judge has allowed lawsuit to proceed, even though plaintiff is not a voter in District 27. Judge says plaintiff has standing because plaintiff is an Alaskan. Order here:
Whatever happens in his case, the fact that Eastman has been hauled into court should stand as a warning to every conservative: The left intends to criminalize dissent, to declare some political opinions beyond the pale, and some votes more equal than others.
