Former Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of aiding and abetting false statements and writings in connection with her efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. She is the fourth co-defendant to enter into a plea deal with Fulton County prosecutors, following Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, and Lin Wood.
Ellis expresses remorse for her actions
Ellis appeared in Fulton County Superior Court on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, for an unscheduled hearing before Judge Scott McAfee. She admitted to helping draft and distribute a fake letter that falsely claimed that Georgia’s electors had voted for former President Donald Trump instead of President Joe Biden. The letter was sent to then-Vice President Mike Pence and other officials on January 6, 2023, the same day that a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol.
Ellis read a statement in court, saying that she was “deeply sorry” for her role in the scheme and that she had acted “in good faith” at the time. She said that she had been misled by Powell and Wood, who were the leaders of the so-called “Kraken” lawsuits that sought to overturn the election results in several states. She also said that she had been influenced by Trump’s rhetoric and pressure.
“I look back on that time with deep remorse and regret,” Ellis said, tearfully. “I was wrong. I was lied to. I was used. I was manipulated. And I am ashamed.”
Ellis faces five years of probation and $5,000 fine
As part of her plea deal, Ellis agreed to cooperate with the prosecutors and testify against the remaining defendants in the case. She also agreed to forfeit her law license in Georgia and any other state where she is licensed. She will not be allowed to practice law or participate in any political activities for five years.
Prosecutors recommended that Ellis be sentenced to five years of probation and pay a $5,000 fine. Judge McAfee accepted the plea deal and deferred sentencing until after the trial of the other defendants, which is scheduled for January 2024.
Ellis faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the original charges, which included violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and soliciting the violation of oath by a public officer. She was indicted in July 2023 along with 18 other co-defendants, including Powell, Wood, Chesebro, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and several fake electors.
Ellis was a prominent figure in Trump’s legal team
Ellis was one of the most visible and vocal members of Trump’s legal team that challenged the election results in multiple states. She frequently appeared on conservative media outlets and social media platforms to spread false and baseless claims of voter fraud and election irregularities. She also accompanied Giuliani to a notorious press conference at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia, where they alleged a massive conspiracy to steal the election from Trump.
Ellis was also a senior legal adviser to the Trump campaign and a personal attorney to Trump. She had previously worked as a constitutional law professor at Colorado Christian University and as a director of public policy at the James Dobson Family Institute. She is also an author and a frequent guest on Christian radio shows.
Ellis is the latest former Trump ally to face legal consequences for their actions during and after the 2020 election. Several other former Trump officials, associates, and supporters have been charged or sued for their roles in inciting or participating in the Capitol riot, spreading false information about the election, or obstructing congressional investigations.
