Jenna Ellis has been a supporter of Donald Trump, representing him in the media since 2016. In 2019 Trump hired her as a senior legal advisor and then hired her as part of a team to fight for him after the 2020 election.

I have no particular admiration for her, or axe to grind one way or another. She has not been on my radar in the least.

Until now.

Ellis was indicted along with Trump and a slew of his supporters, defenders, and the gardener who cut his grass in Georgia. I can’t speak to the quality of the indictments from a legal perspective, save for the fact that from a layman’s perspective, they seem overbroad and extremely…ambitious. It’s not often somebody gets indicted for suggesting that people watch a government hearing, although I must admit that if you have ever slogged through such a boring event it does resemble some forms of CIA “enhanced interrogation” techniques.

Ellis is being accused of being part of a massive conspiracy that was coordinated by and for the benefit of President Trump, and Trump’s PAC is going to be helping defray the legal expenses of Trump’s co-defendants…except Ellis.

Jenna Ellis was part of Trump’s legal team. She put her name and career on the line for him. But because she expressed support for DeSantis, even while remaining fair to Trump, even defending him, Trump is leaving her out to hang and will not help pay for her legal bills—costs… https://t.co/sSKw5JGYBO

— Pedro L. Gonzalez (@emeriticus) August 15, 2023

Ellis would never have been indicted but for the fact that she put in long hours and extraordinary effort on behalf of the president. I can’t speak to the quality of that work, except to say that Trump seemed very satisfied with it while she was doing it. I literally paid no attention to her or most of Trump’s legal team because they appeared to be–and turned out to be–the gang that couldn’t shoot straight.

They managed to make serious charges look ridiculous, undermined the credibility of plausible charges of voter irregularities by throwing in ridiculous charges, and from all accounts took direction from a perpetually tipsy and incoherent Rudy Guiliani.

That, though, is ultimately Trump’s fault. As is so often the case he did a remarkably bad job of hiring people and got exactly what he paid for.

Still, I find Trump’s abandonment of Ellis and the joy that his supporters have for her being hung out to dry disgusting. Ellis has committed the ultimate sin, which is being a “traitor” to Trump by not being a full-throated supporter of his 2024 campaign.

“We will fight for Jenna. If you would like to help support our efforts please consider donating by clicking the link below. America and the profession of law are worth the fight.”

— Mike Melito, Attorney for Jenna Ellishttps://t.co/40rKSVoPqo

— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) August 15, 2023

Trump hires a lot of traitors, apparently, since almost everybody he has ever hired has been accused of being one at some point.

The fact is that Ellis is taking a bullet for Trump, and could even wind up in jail for the crime of being Trump’s lawyer.

Granted, agreeing to represent Donald Trump appears to be a big mistake for a lawyer, and Ellis should have realized that. Given Michael Cohen’s experience, I would advise any lawyer with the opportunity to represent the former president the advice to take a hard pass, and from what I understand many of the best lawyers in America have done so.

Maga today: "The Georgia indictment of Trump is awful!"
Also Maga today: "Jenna Ellis getting indicted in Georgia is great!"

Life is good when you have no overriding beliefs or principles.

— carolyn tackett🐊 (@CarolsCloset) August 15, 2023

But it is beyond churlish for Trump to leave her hanging out to dry, and perhaps more than that it is supremely stupid. Ellis, after all, could be in a position to turn on Trump in order to save her butt.

Whether the case is strong or not I cannot say, but no doubt it would be stronger if, say, a lawyer for Trump started backing up some of the charges in exchange for leniency. Trump and Trumpworld have been dumping on Ellis because she is insufficiently “loyal.” Well, she sure has no reason to be loyal now.

It is remarkable to me that so many people use the word “loyalty” and Trump in the same sentence. Trump is one of the least loyal people in politics. He attacks nearly every person who doesn’t lick the jam between his toes on command and never seems to extend a helping hand to people who have served him for years.

Trump seems to be determined to harm everybody in his orbit the moment that they displease him while completely ignoring the damage he does to them.

I suppose that all this should be expected from a man whose catchphrase is “You’re fired.”