Third Ex-Donald Trump Lawyer Pleads Guilty In Georgia Election Case

Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges of involvement in a criminal conspiracy to change the result in Georgia, where Biden won by some 12,000 votes.

A third Donald Trump campaign lawyer, Jenna Ellis, has reached a plea deal that could see her testify for the prosecution in future trials. Ellis pleaded guilty to charges related to Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss in Georgia. The deal allowed her to avoid jail time by admitting to one felony count of “aiding and abetting false statements and writings.”

Lawrence Chesebro and Sydney Powell also pleaded guilty last week. They were among the 18 codefendants charged alongside Trump in the case, the only state-level proceeding thus far targeting the Republican for actions he took to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges of involvement in a criminal conspiracy to change the result in Georgia, where Biden won by around 12,000 votes.

Ellis, along with Powell and Chesebro, received several years of probation, a $5,000 fine, and 100 hours of community service while agreeing to testify in any future trials. Legal analysts have described the plea deals as a potential blow to Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination, as his former lawyers turn witnesses for the prosecution.

A trial date has not been set yet for the 77-year-old Trump, who is currently in a New York courtroom again to defend himself against a major civil fraud case. In addition to the three ex-campaign lawyers, bail bondsmen Scott Hall has pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiracy to interfere with the performance of election duties. Other indicted in Georgia include Giuliani, Trump’s former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, John Eastman, a constitutional lawyer, and Jeffrey Clark, a mid-level Justice Department official.