Former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis, who was facing four felony counts in the Georgia election case, was sentenced to five years’ probation after pleading guilty Tuesday to one felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings
Jenna Ellis, a former Trump 2020 election attorney, struck a plea deal with Georgia prosecutors on Monday in their sweeping election racketeering case, making her the fourth of the original co-defendants charged by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to now be cooperating with investigators as they prepare for a trial against the former president and his other associates.
Under terms of the plea deal, which were signed Monday and made public Tuesday, Ellis, 38 agreed to a single felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee sentenced Ellis to five years’ probation, along with $5,000 in restitution. Ellis must also write a letter of apology and agreed to provide testify truthfully in the proceedings.
n brief but emotional remarks addressed to McAfee, Ellis expressed remorse and said she relied on information provided by more senior attorneys in the wake of the 2020 presidential election.
“What I did not do, but should have done, your honor, was make sure that the facts the other lawyers alleged to be true were in fact true,” she said. “In the frenetic pace of attempting to raise challenges to the election in several states, including Georgia, I failed to do my due diligence.”
Ellis said she took responsibility for her actions.
“If I knew then what I know now, I would have declined to represent Donald Trump in these post-election challenges,” she said. “I look back on this whole experience with deep remorse for those failures of mine.”
McAfee thanked Ellis for providing the statement and accepted her guilty plea.
“I agree and find that there is a sufficient factual basis for the charges, as proffered by the state, and I find that this plea of guilty is knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently entered,” he said.
Ellis had been facing two felony counts over at least two memos to Trump and his lawyers advising that then-Vice President Mike Pence should disregard electoral votes from Georgia and other “contested” states during the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, certification ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.
