Former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis faces second misconduct case in Colorado over conviction – Colorado Newsline
Jenna Ellis speaks during an appearance before the Michigan House Oversight Committee on December 2, 2020 in Lansing, Michigan. (Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Colorado officials have again accused Jenna Ellis, previously an attorney for former President Donald Trump, of professional misconduct and asked a state judge Tuesday to impose further disciplinary action.
The accusation came in a filing from Colorado Attorney Regulation Counsel Jessica Yates, who investigates allegations of lawyer misconduct, to Presiding Disciplinary Judge Bryon M. Large, who oversees lawyer discipline cases in Colorado.
Ellis last year was censured by the judge for misconduct related to “misrepresentations” she made when she worked as a senior legal advisor for Trump as he tried to overturn his 2020 election loss.
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The new allegations come in response to Ellis’ guilty plea to a count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings in a Fulton County, Georgia, case that is also related to Trump’s allegedly criminal attempt to remain in power. In October, Yates confirmed to Newsline that the guilty plea prompted her office to open another investigation of Ellis.
Ellis in a text to Newsline said, “I thought I resolved all of this almost a year ago. I will vigorously defend against this complaint and am confident that once all the facts are brought out, I will prevail.”
According to a copy of the complaint provided to Newsline by States United Democracy Center, which along with Lawyers Defending American Democracy in December had formally requested Yates’ office to pursue disciplinary action against Ellis, the complaint asks the judge that Ellis be “appropriately disciplined for such misconduct” and “required to take any other remedial action appropriate under the circumstances.”
The complaint asserts that the Colorado court under Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure has jurisdiction over a Colorado attorney “regardless of where the lawyer’s conduct occurs or where the lawyer resides.”
It notes the Georgia criminal conviction concerned false statements made in December 2020 when Ellis and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani met with members of the Georgia Senate Judiciary Subcommittee and claimed thousands of people in Georgia voted illegally, among other false statements.
“Through her guilty plea, (Ellis) has admitted to the commission of a criminal act that reflects adversely on her honesty, trustworthiness, and fitness as a lawyer,” says the complaint, which asks the court to impose discipline based her alleged violations of Georgia rules of professional conduct.
Asked about possible discipline outcomes, including whether the case could lead to Ellis’ disbarment, Yates wrote in an email, “Complaints filed by the People through the Office of the Attorney Regulation Counsel allege conduct that violates rules of professional conduct and which rules were violated. They do not identify the form of discipline the People will seek.”
Ellis until recently was a Colorado resident, when she moved to Florida, according to her social media posts. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and has a registered business address in Denver, according to the complaint.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 6:08 p.m., Jan. 9, 2024, to add a comment from Jenna Ellis and additional information about the complaint.
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by Quentin Young, Colorado Newsline
January 9, 2024
by Quentin Young, Colorado Newsline
January 9, 2024
Colorado officials have again accused Jenna Ellis, previously an attorney for former President Donald Trump, of professional misconduct and asked a state judge Tuesday to impose further disciplinary action.
The accusation came in a filing from Colorado Attorney Regulation Counsel Jessica Yates, who investigates allegations of lawyer misconduct, to Presiding Disciplinary Judge Bryon M. Large, who oversees lawyer discipline cases in Colorado.
Ellis last year was censured by the judge for misconduct related to “misrepresentations” she made when she worked as a senior legal advisor for Trump as he tried to overturn his 2020 election loss.
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The new allegations come in response to Ellis’ guilty plea to a count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings in a Fulton County, Georgia, case that is also related to Trump’s allegedly criminal attempt to remain in power. In October, Yates confirmed to Newsline that the guilty plea prompted her office to open another investigation of Ellis.
Ellis in a text to Newsline said, “I thought I resolved all of this almost a year ago. I will vigorously defend against this complaint and am confident that once all the facts are brought out, I will prevail.”
According to a copy of the complaint provided to Newsline by States United Democracy Center, which along with Lawyers Defending American Democracy in December had formally requested Yates’ office to pursue disciplinary action against Ellis, the complaint asks the judge that Ellis be “appropriately disciplined for such misconduct” and “required to take any other remedial action appropriate under the circumstances.”
The complaint asserts that the Colorado court under Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure has jurisdiction over a Colorado attorney “regardless of where the lawyer’s conduct occurs or where the lawyer resides.”
It notes the Georgia criminal conviction concerned false statements made in December 2020 when Ellis and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani met with members of the Georgia Senate Judiciary Subcommittee and claimed thousands of people in Georgia voted illegally, among other false statements.
“Through her guilty plea, (Ellis) has admitted to the commission of a criminal act that reflects adversely on her honesty, trustworthiness, and fitness as a lawyer,” says the complaint, which asks the court to impose discipline based her alleged violations of Georgia rules of professional conduct.
Asked about possible discipline outcomes, including whether the case could lead to Ellis’ disbarment, Yates wrote in an email, “Complaints filed by the People through the Office of the Attorney Regulation Counsel allege conduct that violates rules of professional conduct and which rules were violated. They do not identify the form of discipline the People will seek.”
Ellis until recently was a Colorado resident, when she moved to Florida, according to her social media posts. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and has a registered business address in Denver, according to the complaint.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 6:08 p.m., Jan. 9, 2024, to add a comment from Jenna Ellis and additional information about the complaint.
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Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com. Follow Colorado Newsline on Facebook and Twitter.
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Quentin Young is the editor of Colorado Newsline.
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© Colorado Newsline, 2024
Colorado Newsline provides fair and accurate reporting on politics, policy and other stories of interest to Coloradans. Newsline is based in Denver, and coverage of activities at the Capitol are central to its mission, but its reporters are devoted to providing reliable information about topics that concern readers in all parts of the state, from Lamar to Dinosaur, from Durango to Sterling.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site.