Lawyers for Jenna Ellis, the former lawyer for Donald Trump and co-defendant in the Fulton County election subversion indictment, said in an interview that Rudy Giuliani “should be worried” about the case.
Ms Ellis’s attorneys — Frank Hogue and his wife and co-counsel Laura Hogue — spoke to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about their client’s recent plea deal. She is the fourth of 19 defendants to accept an offer from prosecutors.
The case was brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and of the four criminal indictments with former president Trump at the centre, it is the most sprawling, encapsulating multiple plots to overturn the 2020 election result in Georgia.
Ms Ellis pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting false statements and writings, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, however, she was sentenced under the First Offender Act to five years probation.
This could come to an end after three years of good behaviour and she would not have a criminal record.
Crucially for prosecutors, Ms Ellis agreed to cooperate with the case going forward. This potentially makes her a star witness against fellow defendants including the former president and Mr Giuliani.
In the weeks following the 2020 election, Ms Ellis worked closely with the former Mayor of New York — then Mr Trump’s personal lawyer.
Asked by the Journal-Constitution if Mr Giuliani, who is charged with 13 counts including racketeering conspiracy, should be worried now that Ms Eliis had struck a deal with prosecutors, Mr Hogue responded: “I think he should be.”
Jenna Ellis reacts after pleading guilty to a felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings, inside Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee’s courtroom on 24 October 2023— (via REUTERS)
Clarifying, he added: “I think there’s enough for Mayor Giuliani to worry about that wouldn’t have anything to do with Jenna Ellis. I mean, she wouldn’t be a help to him, I don’t think, if she was to be called as a witness. But I think his troubles extend far beyond her.”
Other plea deals were struck with lawyer Sidney Powell, who worked with Ms Ellis and Mr Giuliani after the 2020 election; lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, the architect of the “fake electors” scheme; and Scott Hall, a bail bondsman who was charged over his role in a voting systems breach in Coffee County in early 2021.
Another six Trump co-defendants in the Georgia election subversion case have reportedly discussed plea deals with Fulton County prosecutors following these initial guilty pleas.
The aim of the district attorney’s office is seemingly to try to get as many co-defendants as possible to flip on the former president.
In September, Ms Ellis said that she was no longer a supporter of Mr Trump because of his “malignant, narcissistic tendency”. She now supports Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
