Original version of letter to the Los Angeles Times:

We Chapman Faculty Want Eastman Out

Last month, 159 Chapman faculty members signed a statement of outrage that John Eastman was using his university credentials in a spurious lawsuit before the Supreme Court. We did not call for his ouster. But participation in a riot that incited violence against the U.S. government and the death of a police officer, puts matters into a different realm and should disqualify him from the privilege of teaching law to our students and strip him of the honor of an endowed chair.

Eastman spouted lies about "secret folders" to fire up an angry crowd and stood next to Rudy Giuliani who called for "trial by combat." These conspiratorial claims of a stolen election were the basis of the insurrection, and he was identified on television as a faculty member of our university.

Free speech is sacred, and tenured academics like Eastman have the privilege of speaking their mind without fear of repercussion. But Eastman abused that freedom. Consider Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), which provides broad protection for speech except that "directed to producing or inciting imminent lawless action." When speech shades over into violence and insurrection, it is no longer permissible.

On this basis, it is time to move beyond President Struppa’s defense of free speech, to respond to a new situation, a very real threat, and an effort to destroy our democracy. We call on Chapman University’s officialdom, including the Faculty Senate, the President, the Provost, and the Dean of Fowler Law School, to promptly proceed to take action against John Eastman for his role in the events of January 6. This is not the first time the university has been called to take action. A faculty-led petition, opposing Eastman’s racist birtherist claim that Kamala Harris was ineligible for the vice presidency, garnered 501 signatories.

Chapman’s passivity and non-action hurts the careers of all faculty, alumni, and staff employed at Chapman. Our research henceforth will carry the tag associated with extremism and fake news, thanks to prominent television identification. More importantly, our students deserve better. Chapman’s mission is to provide “personalized education of distinction that leads to inquiring, ethical and productive lives.” None of Eastman’s actions over the past year have been ethical, productive, or of distinction. Throughout the year students and faculty have called for sanction for his racist actions. He does not belong on our campus.

Signed by:

Lisa Leitz, associate professor of sociology and peace studies

Robert Slayton, professor of history

Wylie Aitken, Chairman, Board of Trustees

Jennifer Keller, Trustee

Loretta Sanchez, Trustee and former member of Congress

Ian Barnard, professor of English

Shira Klein, associate professor of history

Alison McKenzie, professor of physical therapy and Senate President

Crystal Murphy, associate professor of political science

Fred Smoller, associate professor of political science

Gordon Babst, associate professor of political science

Patrick Fuery, professor of English

Amy Buono, assistant professor of art history

Julia Boehm, associate professor of psychology

Tom Zoellner, professor of English

Justin St. P Walsh, associate professor of art history and archaeology

Mark Axelrod, professor of English

Richard Bausch, professor of English

Amir Ahsan, assistant professor of physics

Julie Shafer, associate professor of art

Christopher D. Bader, professor of sociology

Kent Lehnhof, professor of English

Jason A. Douglas, assistant professor of public health

Claudine Jaenichen, associate professor of graphic design

Morgan Read-Davidson, assistant professor of English

Jerry LaRue, assistant professor of chemistry

Laura Glynn, professor of psychology

Nubar Hovsepian, associate professor of political science

Marilyn J. Harran, professor of religious studies and history

Jan Osborn, associate professor of English

Lia Halloran, associate professor of art

Brian Hoover, fellow in science

Douglas Fudge, associate professor of biology

Gennady Verkhivker, professor of computational biology

Eric Sternlicht, associate professor of health sciences

Lauren Dudley, instructor of chemistry

Justin Dressel, associate professor of physics

Janeen Hill, Founding Dean Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences

Steven Schandler, professor emeritus of psychology

Meghan Cosier, associate professor of education

John Koshak, professor of music

Margie Sauceda Curwen, associate professor of education

Susan Paterno, professor of English

Alexandra Rose, professor of film

Corie Yutkin, director of Jewish life and chaplain

Mort Nathan, associate professor of film

Cristina Fuentes, assistant professor of Spanish

Amy Moors, assistant professor of psychology

Cisa Payuyo, associate director of church relations

Hesham El-Askary, professor of computational and data science

Tara Gruenewald, associate professor of psychology

Anuradha Prakash, professor of food science

Zachary Thammavongsy, Instructor

L. Andrew Lyon, Founding Dean, Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering

Julye Bidmead, associate professor of religious studies

Paul Gulino, associate professor of film

Richard Ruppel, professor of English and peace studies

Justin Dressel, associate professor of physics

Eric Sternlicht, associate professor of health sciences

Kelli Fuery, associate professor in film and media studies

Joe Rosenberg, associate professor of film

James Gardner, director of television studies

Derrick Ortega, lecturer in English

Nam Lee, associate professor of film studies

Paul Seydor, professor of cinema

Charles Myers, assistant professor of film

Nancy E. Brink, director of church relations

Emily Carman, associate professor of film

Andy Lane, associate professor of film

Scott Creley, lecturer in English

Kevin O’Brien, professor emeritus of English

Jill Condon associate professor of television writing and producing

Steve Hirsen, assistant professor of television writing and production

Rachel Goldberg, associate professor of film

Doug Cooney, instructor of English

Roy Finch, assistant professor of film

Paul Gulino, associate professor of film

Travis Knox, associate professor of film

Eric Young, assistant professor of film production

Jim Fredrick, professor of film

Jeff Swimmer, professor of film

David S. Ward, professor of film

Pavel Jech, associate dean of Dodge College and professor of film

Quaylan Allen, associate professor of education

Jennifer Bevan, professor of communication

Daniel de Arakal, instructor of music

Noel Murray, associate professor of business and economics

Mitch Warachka, professor of business and economics

Kristin Campbell, assistant professor of theater

Jocelyn L. Buckner, associate professor of theater

Whitney McIntyre Miller, associate professor of leadership studies

John B. Benitz, professor of theater

Scot Danforth, professor of disability studies and inclusive education

Rebecca Sherburn, professor of music

Rob Octavio, conservatory operations coordinator

Adam Borecki, instructor of Music Technology

Christopher Boyd, instructor of engineering

Pradip K. Shukla, associate professor of business and economics

J. Mark Maier, founding chair of leadership studies

Michael R. Hass, professor of counseling and school psychology

Julianne O’Brien, professor of dance

Jared Rubin, professor of economics

Tammy Yi, assistant professor of music education

Jon Humphreys, instructor of engineering

Thomas Bradac, professor of theater

Amy Graziano, professor of music

Jack Broughton, associate professor of finance

Daniel Kovenock, professor of economics

Polly J. Hodge, associate professor of Spanish

Jill Bigley Dunham, assistant professor of mathematics

Eileen Jankowski, assistant professor of English

Meghan Kemp-Gee, instructor of English

Wendy Salmond, professor of art history

Lori Cox Han, professor of political science

Gail Stearns, Dean of the Chapel, associate professor of religious studies

Sandra Alvarez, assistant professor of political science

Jennifer Villoria, assistant professor of chemistry

Bernard McGrane, professor of sociology

Walter Piper, professor of biology

Tekle M. Woldemikael, professor of sociology

Nicolai Bonne, assistant professor of biology

Micol Hebron, professor of art

L. Edward Day, associate professor of sociology

Richard Turner, professor emeritus of art

Alexander R Bay, associate professor of history

Rosalee S. Hellberg, associate professor of food science

Ashley Kranjac, assistant professor of sociology

Justine Van Meter, associate professor of English

David Frederick, associate professor of psychology

Roberta Lessor, professor emeritus of sociology

Mary Kennedy, professor of communication sciences and disorders

Michael Wood, professor of world languages and cultures

Jeff Koerber, assistant professor of history

Andrew Shalat, assistant professor of design

Susan Duff, professor of education

Andrea Molle, assistant professor of political science

John Compton, associate professor of political science

Nancy Martin, professor of religious studies

Andrew Manson, assistant professor of political science

Carolyn E. Brodbeck, associate professor of psychology

William L. Cumiford, associate professor of history

Kenjiro W. Quides, fellow in science

Prexy Nesbit, presidential Fellow in peace studies

Lisa M Lachance, assistant professor of health sciences

Kyle Longley, professor of history

Allan MacVicar, assistant professor of French

Matthew Goldman, instructor of English

Junji Yoshida, assistant professor of Japanese

Annmary Abdou, assistant professor of counseling and school psychology

Sean Heim, professor of music

Rachel Lambert, former assistant professor of education

Matthew Saul Leifer, assistant professor of physics

Daniel Miess, instructor of English

William G. Wright, associate professor of biology

Renee Hudson, assistant professor of English

Jennifer Robinette, assistant professor of psychology

Susan Isaacs, assistant professor of screenwriting

David Kost, associate professor of film

Bill Rosenthal, assistant professor of film

Arthur Blaser, professor of peace studies and political science

Francesca Paduano, assistant professor of Italian

Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster, associate professor of communication

Jeff Cogan, professor emeritus, music

Shahryar Doosti, assistant professor of business and economics

Gerri McNenny, associate professor of education

Georgiana Bostean, associate professor of sociology