Jenna Ellis is an intriguing figure, well known as the former lawyer of Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign’s legal team. Her journey offers a glimpse into the complex and often controversial world of American politics.
Early Life and Education
Born in Colorado, Jenna Ellis was raised in a devout Christian family, and was homeschooled by her parents. This heavily influenced her worldview and career choices. Together with one of her brothers, they worked in the U.S. Senate campaign while in high school.
After that, she did her internship for Colorado lieutenant governor and the Boulder County district attorney’s office later in years. All these must have contributed to her interest in law and politics.
She pursued her undergraduate studies at Colorado State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Technical Journalism. She then went on to receive her Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond School of Law in Virginia.
Legal Career
Ellis began her legal career in private practice, focusing on constitutional law, criminal defense, and family law. She also served as an assistant professor of legal studies at Colorado Christian University. Her work in academia and private practice established her as a voice in conservative legal circles, particularly through her writings and public speaking engagements.
Media Presence and Political Commentary
Ellis became a recognizable figure in conservative media, contributing to outlets like Newsmax, Fox News, and the Washington Examiner. She was known for her sharp legal analyses and staunch defense of conservative principles.
Her book, “The Legal Basis for a Moral Constitution: A Guide for Christians to Understand America’s Constitutional Crisis,” reflects her commitment to intertwining her faith with her understanding of the U.S. Constitution. Her popularity soared when she became the senior legal adviser for Trump and his 2020 re-election campaign.
Role with Donald Trump
Jenna Ellis profile rose significantly when she joined Donald Trump’s legal team during his presidency. She was a prominent figure during the 2020 presidential election, becoming one of the public faces of Trump’s efforts to contest the election results.
Ellis, alongside Rudy Giuliani and other lawyers, pushed claims of widespread voter fraud and sought to overturn the election results in several key states. Despite numerous court cases and hearings, these efforts were largely unsuccessful and widely criticized.
The 2020 Election Legal Controversies
Ellis’s involvement in the 2020 election aftermath brought significant legal scrutiny. She was part of a series of high-profile lawsuits that were dismissed due to lack of evidence. These actions led to professional and legal consequences for Ellis and other members of Trump’s legal team.
In 2023, she faced legal repercussions for her role in spreading misinformation about the election. She wrote: “In the beginning of my involvement I genuinely believed that the election challenges were made in good faith — basically a repeat of a Bush v. Gore situation, not an effort to undermine the public faith in the integrity of elections.”
“But I admit that I was overly zealous in believing the ‘facts’ being peddled to support the challenge, which were manufactured and false. Had I done my duty in investigating these alleged facts before promoting them as the truth, I do not believe I would be here.
I turned a blind eye to the possibility that senior lawyers for the Trump campaign were embracing claims they knew or should have known were false. I just went along with it. I was wrong.”
Guilty Plea and Legal Consequences
In a surprising turn of events, Jenna Ellis pleaded guilty to a single felony count related to her actions following the 2020 election. As part of her plea agreement, she admitted to making false statements about the election results and the legal basis for challenging them.
The false statements about the 2020 presidential election in Georgia include illegal votes from over 10,000 dead people, over 2,500 felons, and over 2,400 unregistered people.
Public Censure and Professional Repercussions
Following her guilty plea, Ellis faced a public censure from the legal community in 2023 by Bryon M. Large, the chief disciplinary judge of the Colorado Supreme Court. The public censure was a formal reprimand for her professional misconduct, acknowledging that her actions had undermined public trust in the legal system.
The court rulings state that Ellis was engaged in “misconduct” and claims that the election was stolen from President Trump. The censure also comes with a fine of $224. News report says that Ellis admitted by saying that “I deeply regret my actions,” she stated during the censure hearing.
“I take full responsibility and will strive to rebuild trust with my colleagues and the public.” She admits that she has misled many through her actions. However, Ellis later denied after a day of being censored that she had only made a wrong statement and that she didn’t admit to any lies.
Conclusion
Jenna Ellis career shows the turbulent nature of modern American politics and the legal profession. From her early days as a legal scholar to her high-profile role in one of the most controversial periods in recent electoral history, Ellis’s journey highlights the complexities of the law, politics, and media.
She has been given a three-year suspension for practicing law in the state of Colorado, which she “gratefully accepts” as she regrets being involved in spreading false claims about the election.