By Aaron Miller-
Jenna Ellis, (pictured)former attorney for Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to one felony count in the Georgia election subversion case, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal saga.
The plea came after Ellis witnessed two of her fellow indicted lawyers, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, enter guilty pleas, intensifying her efforts to cooperate with prosecutors.
Ellis’s attorney, Frank Hogue, revealed the haste with which her legal team worked to secure a favorable plea deal during an exclusive interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He stated that Powell and Chesebro’s sudden guilty pleas injected a sense of urgency into their discussions with prosecutor Fani Willis. “I think what really accelerated it was Powell and Chesebro falling as they did, one right after the other.
It looked like timing was of the essence for us,” Hogue explained.
The 39-year-old Ellis became the fourth out of 19 defendants to admit involvement in the plot orchestrated by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results.
Her guilty plea spared her from a trial and the potential of a five-year prison sentence. Notably, her cooperation with prosecutors may involve her testifying against Trump, who faces 13 charges, including racketeering, forgery, perjury, filing false documents, and false statements.
The negotiations for the plea deal unfolded over a three-day period, although it remains unclear whether they were initiated by the prosecution or the defense.
Initially, Willis offered a deal involving the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), commonly used in mob-related cases.
However, Hogue stated that this option was promptly dismissed. The final agreement was reached on October 23 and announced in court the following morning.
Hogue considered the deal a favorable outcome for Ellis, ensuring she could retain her law license or pursue its reinstatement if surrendered.
He described the terms, which included five years of probation, expected to be reduced to three, along with restitution and other probation conditions, as non-burdensome for his client.
In a courtroom appearance, unlike her colleagues Powell and Chesebro, Ellis chose to deliver a personal apology, tearfully expressing deep remorse for her involvement in the election subversion efforts.
She acknowledged relying on other lawyers’ information and failing to conduct due diligence to verify the accuracy of the claims. Ellis’s decision to distance herself from Trump’s legal team and align with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Republican 2024 presidential nomination race further underscored her regret.
Ellis’s role as a potential star witness against Trump and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who faces allegations of masterminding the election plot, could prove significant in the upcoming trials.
Hogue suggested that Giuliani should be concerned, as Ellis’s testimony could potentially worsen his legal predicament. However, he emphasized that Giuliani’s troubles extended beyond Ellis and her potential testimony.
As the legal proceedings in the Georgia election subversion case continue, Jenna Ellis’s guilty plea and potential role as a key witness promise to shed further light on the events surrounding the 2020 election and the actions of those involved.