Former Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case

Former US President Donald Trump’s campaign lawyer, Jenna Ellis, has pleaded guilty in the Georgia election subversion case and will cooperate with Fulton County prosecutors. This marks the third guilty plea in a week.

During an unscheduled hearing in Atlanta, Ellis admitted to one count of aiding and abetting false statements, a felony related to the election misinformation propagated by Ellis and other lawyers working for Donald Trump in December 2020. As part of her guilty plea, she received a five-year probation sentence and was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution.

In a courtroom statement that included moments of tears, Jenna Ellis disavowed her involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. She expressed deep remorse and stated that, if given the chance, she would have declined to represent Donald Trump in post-election challenges.

This development comes on the heels of guilty pleas from Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro in the same case. All three individuals have agreed to testify on behalf of the prosecution in future trials, making them potential key figures in legal proceedings against other Trump associates, including Trump himself, Rudy Giuliani, and Mark Meadows.

Prosecutors had initially charged 19 individuals in this extensive case, with four now having pleaded guilty. Ellis’s guilty plea has implications for Giuliani, as it involves the crime of lying to Georgia legislators by promoting false voter fraud theories.

Jenna Ellis admitted to intentionally aiding and abetting Giuliani and another Trump lawyer, Ray Smith, in making false statements to members of the Georgia Senate, including unfounded claims of voter fraud. Both Smith and Giuliani have pleaded not guilty to these charges, despite investigations and recounts by Georgia election officials confirming no widespread voter fraud in the state.

In exchange for her cooperation, prosecutors dropped Ellis’s original charges, including one related to Georgia’s racketeering law known as RICO. This plea agreement does not mention President Trump, according to Trump lawyer Steve Sadow.

As part of the plea deal, Jenna Ellis, known for her active online presence, is prohibited from discussing the case on social media while proceedings are ongoing against any of the defendants. In unrelated disciplinary proceedings in Colorado, Ellis admitted that many of her post-election public statements were false, resulting in her censure by a judge and a $224 fine.

Notably, Jenna Ellis has distanced herself from Trump in recent months and publicly supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. She had also raised significant funds through an online crowdfunding website after her indictment.