In March of last year, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter made a rare legal ruling allowing some documents for which [Chapman University Law School Dean John] Eastman claimed attorney- client and work-product privileges to be turned over to the congressional committee. Carter ruled that the privilege claims could be overcome by a "crime-fraud exception," because the federal judge found enough evidence in the civil proceeding to show Eastman and Trump engaged in criminal behavior. UC Irvine political science professor and attorney Tony Smith told City News Service it was possible that special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed to investigate Trump, happened to come to the same conclusion based on the evidence and law.

For the full story, please visit https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/socal-judge-paved-way-trump-indictment-profs-say.