Jenna Ellis—the attorney who served as a primary mouthpiece for former Republican President Donald Trump's Big Lie about the 2020 election—became the fourth of 19 co-defendants to plead guilty as part of a plea deal in the Fulton County Georgia RICO Act case filed by District Attorney Fani Willis.
Ellis appeared Tuesday before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee. Ellis and her lawyers asked to be able to read a prepared statement before the judge, unlike the previous three co-defendants.
You can hear Ellis tearfully read her full statement here:
Ellis began by saying:
"As an attorney who is also a Christian, I take my responsibilities as a lawyer very seriously."
The former Trump campaign lawyer stated:
"I endeavored to represent my client to the best of my abilities and relied on others, including lawyers with many more years of experience than I, to provide me with true information, especially because my role involved speaking to the media and state legislators."
"What I did not do, but should have done, was make sure the facts other lawyers alleged to be true were in fact true."
"In the frenetic pace of attempting to raise challenges to the election in several states, including Georgia, I failed to do my due diligence."
But when Ellis appeared on Newsmax on November 20, 2020, she said:
“With all those states [Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia] combined we know that the election was stolen from President Trump, and we can prove that.”
In court on Tuesday Ellis stated:
"I believe in and value election integrity."
"If I knew then what I know now, I would have declined to represent Donald Trump in these post-election challenges."
"I look back on this whole experience with deep remorse."
News of Ellis' tear-filled court appearance quickly spread online.
The public however was not in a forgiving mood.
Here's the big question: Why would Jenna Ellis or ANYBODY align themselves with Donald Trump either morally or legally? She knew exactly who and what he was. It was no secret. She made her choice. She lunged for the power and perks of working for the President. Crocodile tears. pic.twitter.com/ceK33V2RME
— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) October 24, 2023
What a freaking liar. She knew exactly what she was doing doing. The only thing is she got caught and that is the reason why she's fake crying.
— Beach gal 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🍊🍊⛱️ (@bamagirlme) October 24, 2023
Should have done her own research.🤭🔥
— Civics and Civility are essential!😎 (@BeaReno) October 24, 2023
And just like that, her credibility as both a lawyer and a Christian vanished. pic.twitter.com/atUjasqhHz
— 🇺🇲🇮🇱LivinForTruth (John/858) 🇮🇱🇺🇲 (@LivinForTruth1) October 24, 2023
She was so smug when she went around the country spreading election lies. I can never forgive her.
— Barry Rubin (@barubin) October 24, 2023
Her crying and further statement of holding herself as a Christian lawyer but blaming others for relying on them instead of using her common sense as an adult is so disingenuous
— Brucellent 🇺🇸 (@brucellent) October 24, 2023
pic.twitter.com/i5Nmv1F5UA
— Politics, News, Crypto, Football 🐻⬇️ (@ipersevere34) October 24, 2023
She was a perfect Trump attorney, in that she would lie and do unethical, illegal acts for him! She is no Christian. She continues to lie all the time now!
— B.E. Commander 🏴☠️🇺🇸 (@BECommander11) October 24, 2023
Cry more disingenuous traitor bi✝️ch!
— Lynda hates GOP thugs (@IvanasStairCam) October 24, 2023
Boo Hoo. It was all so obviously illegal. No sympathy.
— Greg Walsh 🛡️🌱 🤝 (@GRW1971) October 24, 2023
Jenna was going to flip since day 0. The smile she gave in that line-up photo said it all! pic.twitter.com/WBxkz9rUBi
— Shelly VR Warrior (@Shellzonit) October 24, 2023
Oh she a Christian now? 😭😭
— DGC Snype (@ethan_dgc) October 24, 2023
Listen carefully Jenna! pic.twitter.com/CMCD85Gt7p
— Omilli Tees💙⭕️ (@OmilliTees) October 24, 2023
Ellis pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings.
Per the details of her agreement under the Georgia First Offender Act provisions, Ellis must complete three to five years probation, 100 hours of community service, pay $5,000 in restitution to the Georgia secretary of state, and write a letter of apology to the state of Georgia.
Atlanta bail bondsman Scott Hall pleaded guilty September 29 as part of a cooperation deal with prosecutors. Last week MAGA attorneys Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro pleaded guilty the day before their scheduled joint trial was to begin.
Ellis was hired as a legal adviser to the Trump campaign in 2019.
After Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden, Ellis became part of his 2020 election legal team, making numerous press appearances alongside Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell to parrot Trump's Big Lie about a stolen election without any proof to back their claims.