Trump Lawyer Jenna Ellis Pleads Guilty in Georgia 2020 Election Case – Bloomberg
In a surprising turn of events, former Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis has entered a guilty plea in the Georgia election subversion case, becoming the third individual to do so within the past week. This unexpected development took place during an unscheduled hearing in Atlanta, where Ellis confessed to aiding and abetting false statements, a felony that originated from the election-related falsehoods propagated by Ellis and other legal representatives of Donald Trump to Georgia legislators back in December 2020. As part of her sentence, she was placed on a five-year probation and directed to pay $5,000 in restitution.
During this emotionally charged courtroom appearance, Jenna Ellis offered a tearful statement to the judge. In her admission of guilt, she expressed deep regret over her role in the unprecedented efforts to challenge the 2020 election on behalf of Donald Trump. She stated, “If I knew then what I know now, I would have declined to represent Donald Trump in these post-election challenges. I look back on this experience with deep remorse.”
This development follows closely on the heels of back-to-back guilty pleas in the same case by former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, who played a part in orchestrating the false electors scheme.
These three individuals’ decisions to cooperate with the prosecution are significant milestones for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. In August, Willis had initiated charges against multiple individuals, including former President Trump, his former attorney Rudy Giuliani, and his chief of staff Mark Meadows, among others. All the defendants have maintained their innocence, but with the inclusion of Ellis, Chesebro, and Powell as witnesses for the prosecution, the case against them gains momentum. Being legal professionals themselves, these former Trump insiders can potentially shed light on the behind-the-scenes events of 2020.
Initially, prosecutors had charged 19 people in this extensive case. Thus far, four individuals have entered guilty pleas.
In a courtroom filled with emotion, Jenna Ellis apologized for her actions and expressed profound remorse for her role in the legal efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. She spoke of her personal “failures” and acknowledged that she had not conducted the due diligence required of her as an attorney. She confessed to relying on others, including lawyers with more experience, to provide her with information, without verifying the accuracy of their claims.
Ellis’s plea also implicated Rudy Giuliani in a state crime, as it revealed his involvement in spreading false voter fraud allegations to Georgia lawmakers. This revelation comes just one week after Kenneth Chesebro had also implicated Giuliani in the scheme to manipulate the Electoral College process. Giuliani, however, maintains his innocence.
Jenna Ellis admitted in her court filings that she had intentionally aided and abetted Giuliani and another Trump lawyer, Ray Smith, in making false statements to members of the Georgia Senate. These false statements included unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud, including allegations related to mail-in ballots and purportedly illegal votes from felons, minors, and deceased individuals. Both Smith and Giuliani have entered pleas of not guilty. It is crucial to note that none of these allegations have been substantiated by investigations or recounts conducted by Georgia election officials. In the end, Joe Biden won the state by a margin of approximately 12,000 votes.
As part of her cooperation agreement, Ellis’s original charges, including a violation of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), were dropped. Notably, the criminal conduct that Ellis confessed to in her plea does not directly implicate President Trump.
Jenna Ellis is now prohibited from making any social media posts related to the case while proceedings are ongoing against the other defendants. In unrelated disciplinary proceedings in Colorado, where she practices law, Ellis acknowledged the falsehood of many of her post-election public statements, including her claim that the election was “stolen” from Donald Trump. She was subsequently censured by a judge and agreed to pay a fine of $224, concluding the misconduct investigation.
It’s worth noting that Jenna Ellis has distanced herself from the Trump camp in recent months and publicly declared her support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Following her indictment, she voiced concerns about the lack of financial support from pro-Trump groups and subsequently raised over $216,000 through an online crowdfunding platform.
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