One more big lie lawyer is held accountable but more work must be done to protect democracy from lawyers seeking to subvert our free and fair elections
WASHINGTON, DC – Statement by The 65 Project Managing Director Michael Teter on the Colorado Supreme Court acting on The 65 Project’s complaint and disciplining Jenna Ellis for her role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
“Exactly one year and one day after The 65 Project filed its bar complaint against Jenna Ellis, she has decided to admit that she violated the rules of professional conduct by lying to the world about fraud in the 2020 election. She acknowledged misrepresenting facts with a selfish disregard for the truth and in an effort to undermine the American public’s confidence in the presidential election. The 65 Project truly appreciates the work that Colorado’s Office of Attorney Regulation put in to investigate and, ultimately discipline, Ms. Ellis.
“But the year it took to reach this outcome highlights the need for revamped and revitalized disciplinary process. It should not take 366 days to hold accountable a lawyer who, in a few short weeks of constant lies and misrepresentations, placed American democracy in such jeopardy. Nor is a public censure a particularly satisfying outcome when one considers the direct line between Ms. Ellis’s deliberate actions and the attack on our nation’s Capitol on January 6th.
“We call on the American Bar Association and state supreme courts to adopt rules that require expeditious treatment of complaints arising from allegations that the lawyer sought to abuse the courts to undermine democracy and to ensure that any finding of such conduct will result in a minimum level of discipline that includes a suspension from practicing law. The rules must act as a deterrent to future abuse.”
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