David Eastman (politician)

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Following Donald Trump's loss in the 2020 United States presidential election, Eastman posted on his website that, "The election process that has been observed thus far by the American people has been abused to such a degree that, in my view, it can no longer be called an election. To call what the American people have observed 'an election', under the United States Constitution, would be fundamentally dishonest." [26]

Eastman traveled to Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, to protest the Electoral College vote count which confirmed Joe Biden's victory, and to see Trump speak at the "Stop the Steal" rally. He spoke to Alaska Public Radio as he walked from the rally to the Capitol and was photographed a few hundred feet from the Capitol building. He later described the storming of the Capitol building as "pretty terrible." [27] The next day he promoted the false claim that the attack on the Capitol was the work of antifa. [28]

On November 11, 2021, 69 local and other graduates of West Point wrote a letter published in Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, Eastman's local paper, to demand that he resign from the legislature since, though he had stressed his military credentials and training at the United States Military Academy, he had dishonored the ideals of The Long Gray Line, that is, those who had matriculated at the USMA. [5]

Reviewing efforts to contest 2020 presidential election results

In June 2021, Eastman traveled to Arizona to observe the 2021 Maricopa County presidential ballot audit ordered by the Arizona state senate. [29]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Eastman was the sole vote in the Alaska House of Representatives against a non-binding resolution to supply military aid to Ukraine. [30]

Economic benefit of abused children's death

In February 2023, at a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, Eastman said "It gets argued periodically that [fatal child abuse is] actually a cost savings because that child is not going to need any of those government services that they might otherwise be entitled to receive and need based on growing up in this type of environment." [31] His statements have been critiqued by fellow representatives and constituents as callous and hypocritical, as he is adamantly opposed to abortion. He was censured for his remarks by the Alaska State House in a vote of 35–1, with Eastman himself as the sole vote against the censure. [32]

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References

  1. 1 2 "David Eastman, Jr.'s Biography". Vote Smart . Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Herz, Nathaniel (February 21, 2023). "'You Should Not Be Allowed to Run the Government You Tried to Overthrow'". Politico. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Representative David Eastman". Alaska State Legislature. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Youngest sons joins three brothers in Eagle Scout rank". Orange County Register . June 14, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Palsha, Rebecca (November 23, 2021). "West Point graduates call on Rep. David Eastman to resign from office". KTUU-TV . Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Republicans nominate 3 to fill Gatto's seat". Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman . April 24, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  7. ↑ Wes Keller, Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Ethics panel finds Alaska Rep. David Eastman violated ethics law". KTUU-TV . Associated Press. July 19, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  9. ↑ Bohrer, Becky (March 8, 2020). "Alaska House temporarily strips Eastman of committee roles". KTUU-TV . Associated Press . Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Alaska legislator, member of Oath Keepers, faces lawsuit challenging his eligibility for office". August 3, 2022.
  11. ↑ "State of Alaska 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION Election Summary Report August 16, 2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS" (PDF). elections.alaska.gov. Alaska Division of Elections. 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  12. ↑ Matt Acuña Buxton (January 22, 2024). "Alaska House strips far-right Rep. Eastman of his only committee seat". The Alaska Current . Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  13. ↑ Raines, Liz (April 27, 2017). "Eastman calls for reprimand after LeDoux blocks committee debate". KTVA . Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Alaska lawmaker mum amid apology demand for abortion remarks". WILK-FM . Associated Press. May 8, 2017. Archived from the original on May 9, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  15. ↑ Baird, Austin (May 3, 2017). "State lawmaker says Alaska women get abortions for travel vouchers, offers no proof". KTUU-TV . Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  16. ↑ Willingham, AJ (May 11, 2017). "Alaska rep censured for implying some women get abortions for free travel". CNN .
  17. ↑ Lockyer, Chris (February 23, 2023). "Alaskan politician David Eastman censured after suggesting fatal child abuse could be 'cost saving'". Sky News . Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  18. ↑ Raines, Liz (May 10, 2017). "Wasilla representative casts lone no vote on bill honoring Alaska's Hmong veterans". KTVA . Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  19. ↑ Raines, Liz (April 7, 2017). "Wasilla lawmaker goes against the grain on votes with racial undercurrents". KTVA 11. Archived from the original on May 6, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  20. ↑ Hallow, Ralph Z. (July 19, 2010). "Palin tests her political clout with long-shot pick in Alaska". The Washington Times . Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  21. ↑ Arnsdorf, Isaac (October 20, 2021). "Oath Keepers in the State House: How a Militia Movement Took Root in the Republican Mainstream". ProPublica . Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  22. ↑ Hohenstatt, Ben (October 20, 2021). "Data leak shows state rep is member of far-right organization". Peninsula Clarion . Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  23. ↑ Brooks, James (October 20, 2021). "Leaked list shows Alaska state Rep. David Eastman is a 'lifetime member' of a leading Capitol-riot group". Anchorage Daily News . Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  24. ↑ Brooks, James (January 31, 2022). "Alaska House coalition will seek to remove Rep. David Eastman from legislative committees over his Oath Keepers membership". Anchorage Daily News . Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  25. ↑ Brooks, James (December 23, 2022). "Oath Keepers seek to overthrow government, judge says, but First Amendment protects Eastman". Alaska Beacon. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  26. ↑ Rockey, Tim (January 13, 2021). "Wasilla Rep Eastman part of Electoral College protest on the Capitol". Anchorage Press .
  27. ↑ Dil, Cuneyt (January 6, 2021). "West Virginia delegate records himself storming U.S. Capitol". AP News. Associated Press . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  28. ↑ Theriault Boots, Michelle (January 8, 2021). "Wasilla lawmaker who attended D.C. Trump rally pushes debunked theory Antifa was responsible for storming US Capitol". Anchorage Daily News . Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  29. ↑ Shuham, Matt (June 8, 2021). "Alaska Legislator Who Was In DC On Jan. 6 Gets Tour Of Arizona Audit". Talking Points Memo . Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Alaska lawmakers back call to supply military aid to Ukraine". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Associated Press. March 3, 2022. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  31. ↑ Maguire, Sean (February 21, 2023). "Rep. Eastman sparks outrage after asking about the potential economic benefits of the deaths of abused Alaska children". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  32. ↑ Maguire, Sean (February 22, 2023). "Alaska House censures Rep. Eastman for asking about the economic benefits of deaths of abused children". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
David Eastman
David Eastman by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
Eastman at the 2024 Hazlitt Summit hosted by Young Americans for Liberty Foundation
Member of the AlaskaHouseofRepresentatives
from the 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 17, 2017 (2017-January-17)
33rd Alaska Legislature (2023)
Speaker of the House
▌ Cathy Tilton (R)
Majority Leader
▌ Dan Saddler (R)
Minority Leader
▌ Calvin Schrage (I)
  1. ▌ Dan Ortiz (I)
  2. ▌ Rebecca Himschoot (I)
  3. ▌ Andi Story (D)
  4. ▌ Sara Hannan (D)
  5. ▌ Louise Stutes (MCR)
  6. ▌ Sarah Vance (R)
  7. ▌ Justin Ruffridge (R)
  8. ▌ Ben Carpenter (R)
  9. ▌ Laddie Shaw (R)
  10. ▌ Craig Johnson (R)
  11. ▌ Julie Coulombe (R)
  12. ▌ Calvin Schrage (I)
  13. ▌ Andy Josephson (D)
  14. ▌ Alyse Galvin (I)
  15. ▌ Tom McKay (R)
  16. ▌ Jennie Armstrong (D)
  17. ▌ Zack Fields (D)
  18. ▌ Cliff Groh (D)
  19. ▌ Genevieve Mina (D)
  20. ▌ Andrew Gray (D)
  21. ▌ Donna Mears (D)
  22. ▌ Stanley Wright (R)
  23. ▌ Jamie Allard (R)
  24. ▌ Dan Saddler (R)
  25. ▌ DeLena Johnson (R)
  26. ▌ Cathy Tilton (R)
  27. ▌ David Eastman (NCR)
  28. ▌ Jesse Sumner (R)
  29. ▌ George Rauscher (R)
  30. ▌ Kevin McCabe (R)
  31. ▌ Maxine Dibert (D)
  32. ▌ Will Stapp (R)
  33. ▌ Mike Prax (R)
  34. ▌ Frank Tomaszewski (R)
  35. ▌ Ashley Carrick (D)
  36. ▌ Mike Cronk (R)
  37. ▌ Bryce Edgmon (CI)
  38. ▌ Conrad McCormick (CD)
  39. ▌ Neal Foster (CD)
  40. ▌ Thomas Baker (R)
Majority Coalition (23)
▌ Republican (20)
▌ Coalition Democrat (2)
▌Coalition Independent (1)
Minority Caucus (16)
▌ Democratic (11)
▌ Minority Caucus Republican (1)
▌Independent (4)
Others
▌ Non-Caucusing Republican (1)
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