Former Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis has pled guilty to a felony count of aiding and abetting false statements in connection to the campaign’s 2020 election challenge. The charge comes after Ellis and her colleagues were accused of soliciting election officials to break their oath of office and participating in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) scheme.
Fulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis initially charged Ellis with two counts related to her involvement in the election challenge. However, she has now accepted a plea deal and confessed to her role in the illegal actions.
Return the money. https://t.co/ru5OMqot2u
— Gavin Mario Wax (@GavinWax) October 24, 2023
Ellis, who has become well-known for her staunch support of former President Donald Trump, was a key figure in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. She and her colleagues raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their legal defense, including $216,431 through the GiveSendGo website.
While Ellis has not responded to questions about whether she plans to return the donated funds now that she has accepted the plea deal, some social media users are calling for her to do so.
Jebba Ellis raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to “fight back” against the frivolous Fani Willis charges.
Instead, she caved quickly. Just like she did when she was threatened with disbarment in Colorado.
Jebba should do the right thing and return the money to the donors. https://t.co/ZAz4MrkcZS
— Alex Bruesewitz (@alexbruesewitz) October 24, 2023
The news of Ellis’ guilty plea has caused an uproar, particularly among those who have supported her throughout the election challenge. Just days before her plea, she shared a link to her legal defense fund on Twitter. Even fellow Republicans have chimed in, with former Rep. Adam Kinzinger suggesting that Ellis “plea out now” while highlighting her Twitter profile, which states she is “A servant to Jesus.”
In court, Ellis invoked her religion as she delivered a tearful statement. She emphasized her commitment to being a person of “sound moral and ethical character” and expressed that she believed challenging the election results on behalf of Trump was the right thing to do. However, she also acknowledged that she should have done more research and fact-checking before taking action.
Jesus didn’t support overthrowing elections. Might want to plea out now, everyone else has. pic.twitter.com/WfdioyizPi
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) (@AdamKinzinger) October 21, 2023
In addition to accepting the plea deal, Ellis will also cooperate with prosecutors in any future proceedings, serve five years of probation, pay a $5,000 fine, and write a letter of apology. This development has once again raised questions about the legality of the 2020 election challenge and the actions of those involved.
Are you familiar with the “trial” and execution of Jesus, Adam? You might want to actually read the Gospel and understand the history here before making frivolous claims about Christ to score twitter points.
You’re an embarrassment and I’m so glad you’re gone from Congress.
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) October 21, 2023
During her appearance on Sirius XM’s Breitbart News Sunday in August, Ellis defended herself and her colleagues against the indictment, stating that the charges were an attempt to criminalize the practice of law.
The plea deal and Ellis’ admission of guilt highlight the serious consequences of her and her colleagues’ actions. It also serves as a cautionary tale for those involved in future election challenges to fully investigate and verify their claims before taking legal action.
Jenna Ellis reads a tearful statement in court after her guilty plea where she throws Rudy Giuliani under the bus and says she wishes she had never gotten involved. pic.twitter.com/GFSXAlxuzs
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 24, 2023
