Jenna Ellis, a former lawyer for former President Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aiding and abetting false statements and writings in a Georgia election interference case. She is the third co-defendant to do so, following former U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak and former Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Ellis was part of the legal team that pushed baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and tried to pressure Georgia officials to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, which favored President Joe Biden. She appeared in court on Monday and expressed her “deep remorse” for her actions, saying she was misled by Trump and his allies.
“I was wrong to trust the lies that were fed to me by the former president and his associates,” Ellis said. “I deeply regret the harm I caused to the people of Georgia, the integrity of our elections, and the rule of law.”
Ellis also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and testify truthfully in future trials related to the case, which accuses Trump and others of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). She faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being led by Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, who has been investigating Trump’s attempts to interfere with the state’s election since February. Willis has said that she intends to hold Trump and his associates accountable for their actions, which she called “a crime against democracy.”
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has continued to claim that the election was rigged and stolen from him. He has also criticized Willis and other prosecutors who are pursuing criminal charges against him in various states, calling them “partisan hacks” and “witch hunters.”
The next trial in the Georgia election case is scheduled for January 2024, where Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows and former attorney Rudy Giuliani are expected to face charges of conspiracy, solicitation of election fraud, and false statements.