(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis faced backlash after being accused of defrauding her own supporters, having pleaded guilty in the contentious election case in Fulton County.
Despite avoiding a lengthy and costly legal battle, her plea deal ignited widespread criticism, with many supporters demanding she return the money she fundraised for the trial.
WATCH:
Jenna Ellis’s testimony against President Trump in Fulton County, Georgia today will be dangerous.
Essentially, Ellis scammed people into giving her $216,000 of donations just so she could read a prepared confession against President Trump, even though she tweeted her… pic.twitter.com/V5muwb70O1
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 24, 2023
“I TOLD YOU NOT TO DONATE TO THIS DISLOYAL WENCH,” political activist Laura Loomer said on Tuesday in a fiery Twitter post. “Today she accepted a plea deal, which will only require her to pay a $5,000 fine and get probation for 5 years. She didn’t even attempt to fight the charges. … $216,000!!!! WHAT A SCAM!!! You should feel ashamed of yourself if you donated to her.”
The legal turmoil originated when Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis pressed charges against Ellis, former President Trump, and several others, alleging violations of Georgia’s electoral laws.
Despite her ties to the Trump campaign, Ellis had distanced herself from the former president and went as far as endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president. This perceived betrayal led to her exclusion from a legal PAC provided by Trump’s defense team and donors.
In a bid to combat the charges, Ellis swiftly launched a fundraiser on Twitter, rallying support from Republicans who perceived the case as politically motivated. However, the plea deal only required Ellis to pay a mere $5,000, leaving behind a substantial sum of $216,000 from the fundraising efforts.
Critics were quick to voice their disappointment, taking to social media to express their concerns. “You need to give back the 216k. Every red cent!” one user said, while another added, “Are you returning the 200k? What would Jesus do?”
While criticism mounted, some political commentators spared Ellis of criticism. Conservative lawyer Will Chamberlain defended Ellis on Twitter.
“People who are criticizing Jenna Ellis for how she deployed her legal defense fund are missing the point completely,” he said. “She used the funds to hire competent lawyers who negotiated a no-jail plea agreement when she was facing RICO charges with a 5-year mandatory minimum.”
Aim your anger at Fani Willis, who is using baseless RICO prosecutions as a cudgel to force defendants to take no-jail pleas
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) October 24, 2023
Similarly, commentator Mike Cernovich came to Ellis’s defense, saying that Ellis was framed for a crime. “I got nothing bad to say about her decision making and may God have mercy on people having a laugh at this,” he declared. “We are only in the early wave of this stuff. It’s going to get worse, much worse.”
In exchange for the plea deal, Ellis is required not to publicly speak on the case until all trials are completed and is likely expected to assist prosecutors in their charges against Trump.