Former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis’s plea agreement with Georgia prosecutors is being seen as a major development in the ongoing investigation into electoral tampering in the state. According to former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, the agreement is “like a heat-seeking missile directed at Rudy Giuliani,” putting pressure on Giuliani to cooperate with the authorities.
Ellis has pleaded guilty to the same offenses as Giuliani in the Georgia indictments, and her cooperation could serve as a direct threat to Giuliani. Weissmann praised the strategy employed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has been indicting high-profile individuals in order to create a domino effect and build momentum in the case.
So far, four out of the 19 people indicted in the Georgia case have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, which strengthens the evidence against the remaining defendants. Weissmann believes that Giuliani and Trump, as well as other defendants, will be worried about the mounting evidence and the potential for less favorable plea deals.
Giuliani, however, has rejected speculation that he will be the next to take a plea deal in the case. His advisor Ted Goodman stated that Giuliani’s only deal will be to tell the truth and accused the prosecutors of being partisan Democrats with their own political ambitions.
The investigation led by Willis focuses on Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. This includes a phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which Trump asked him to find enough votes to sway the outcome in his favor, as well as an alleged plot to submit a false slate of pro-Trump electors to the Electoral College. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and accused Willis of targeting him for political purposes.
The plea agreements and the pressure on Giuliani to cooperate highlight the intensifying nature of the investigation. As the evidence strengthens and more defendants decide to cooperate, the investigation could reach even higher into Trump’s inner circle. The outcome of the case could have significant repercussions for the former president and those associated with him.