On Monday afternoon, prosecutors announced that Jenna Ellis, a conservative attorney, has agreed to cooperate in the Arizona case against 11 fake electors and multiple lawyers linked to Trump.
According to a press release by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, the former attorney who once supported Donald Trump has signed a cooperation agreement on Monday morning. As part of the agreement, the state has agreed to dismiss the four felony charges against her.
In a statement, Mayes expressed his gratitude towards Ms. Ellis for her cooperation with the investigation and prosecution. According to him, this agreement is a noteworthy advancement in their case. He further added that Ms. Ellis’ insights are of great value and will significantly assist the State in proving its case in court. As previously mentioned during the announcement of the initial charges, Mayes reiterated his stance of not allowing anything to undermine American democracy, as it holds immense importance. Today’s announcement is indeed a triumph for the rule of law.
Back in April, a group of fake electors were charged with election subversion, along with several other individuals, including lawyers Ellis, Rudy Giuliani, Boris Epshteyn, Christina Bobb, and John Eastman. While the indictment originally kept the names of those beyond the fake electors redacted, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Trump campaign aide Mike Roman were among those also indicted with similar charges in Georgia.
In Arizona, Ellis faced charges of conspiracy, fraudulent schemes and artifices, and forgery – a total of six counts. Meanwhile, she had already pleaded guilty to one charge related to election subversion in Georgia.
Numerous attempts were made to overturn the results of the 2020 Arizona election, but all of the lawsuits failed. The underlying goal of these lawsuits was to convince the Republican-controlled state legislature to nullify the results and subsequently appoint a group of electors who would vote for Trump, rather than the actual victor, President Joe Biden.
Despite the lawsuits and legislative hurdles, the group of fraudulent electors still proceeded with their plan. They garnered significant attention and excitement as they publicly signed a document presenting themselves as authentic electors. Dubbed as “The Signing,” the Arizona GOP’s social media platforms documented and shared the spectacle.
As part of a motion to dismiss Ellis’ charges without prejudice, the complete indictment highlights the extent of her involvement in the purported scheme and highlights her close collaboration with Giuliani at the time.
According to the indictment, she was responsible for spreading misinformation about election fraud in Arizona and six other states. In addition to this, she urged the Arizona Legislature to alter the election outcome and also advised Pence to accept the false Arizona Republican electors’ votes on January 6, 2021.
The conduct of Ellis is further detailed in the indictment:
On December 1, 2020, GIULIANI (012) held a meeting at the Arizona Legislature with three associates, including JENNA ELLIS (015). Also present at the meeting were several Republican legislators, including [State House Speaker Rusell “Rusty”] Bowers. GIULIANI (012) and his team asked Bowers to hold a committee hearing on the election. When Bowers asked for any proof of election fraud, GIULIANI (012) said he had proof, but ELLIS (015) that it was left back in the hotel room. Bowers left the meeting shortly thereafter. The alleged proof was never provided to Bowers.
A judge has criticized Rudy Giuliani’s lawyer in a fake elector case for making “irrelevant” comparisons to George Washington. The judge reminded the lawyer of the Rules of Professional Responsibility. This is according to Law&Crime’s extensive coverage of the case.
According to the indictment, Ellis was expected to participate in a conference call discussing the electors’ signing efforts. The primary purpose of the call was to address the issue of members of Trump’s campaign, including at least one attorney, who declined to support the fraudulent electors scheme.
During a “proffer” or “free talk” in June, Ellis had an extensive conversation with prosecutors. She shared her understanding of the case and how her files and knowledge could assist the state.
The cooperation agreement clearly states that the Attorney General’s Office had agreed to assess whether cooperation is in the State’s best interest under the free talk agreement. After conducting a thorough evaluation, the Attorney General’s Office has concluded that cooperation would be beneficial for its best interests.
You can access Ellis’ complete cooperation agreement by clicking here. Additionally, you can view a separate document where she waived some of her rights as a defendant by clicking here.
