Who is Jenna Ellis?

On Oct 26, 2023

TL/DR –

Jenna Ellis, a lawyer who served as former President Donald Trump’s senior legal advisor, has been involved in numerous controversies, including efforts to discredit the 2020 presidential election. Ellis was indicted in 2023 on two felony charges in Fulton County, GA, primarily for her attempts to get Georgia legislators to accept an alternate slate of fake electors for Trump, despite Biden winning the popular vote. After pleading guilty, Ellis was sentenced to 5 years probation and 100 hours of community service, agreed to testify against Trump and other defendants, and will issue a written apology to the citizens of Georgia and pay $5,000 in restitution.

Overview

Jenna Ellis, a lawyer and former senior legal advisor to Donald Trump, became prominent for her part in attempting to discredit the 2020 presidential election. As part of Trump’s legal team, she supported Trump’s unsuccessful efforts to overturn the election results.

Background

Ellis, a conservative attorney and TV personality, was hired by Donald Trump in November 2019. She stirred controversy by making unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election and suggested that Mike Pence had the authority to alter the election results. This belief has been largely dismissed by legal experts.

In 2022, an ethics complaint was filed against Ellis, leading to disciplinary action in 2023 by a Colorado judge who censured her for attorney misconduct. As part of the censure, Ellis admitted to knowingly misrepresenting the facts about the 2020 election.

Why Was Ellis Indicted?

Ellis face felony charges in Fulton County, GA, for her role in trying to get Georgia legislators to accept fake electors for Donald Trump, despite Joe Biden winning the state’s popular vote.

Ellis’s actions included:

Endorsing fake electors in four states despite their popular vote results.
Promoting conspiracy theories about the election.
Drafting memos for Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, arguing for a reversal of election results in seven states.
Publicly promoting unfounded claims about the 2020 election.

Ellis pleaded guilty to felony counts of aiding false statements and writing, admitting to spreading election misinformation. In her plea deal, Ellis received a sentence of 5 years probation, 100 hours of community service, and agreed to testify against Trump and other defendants. She will also issue an apology to Georgia citizens and pay $5,000 in restitution.