Former Trump campaign adviser leaving GOP in protest
Former Trump campaign legal adviser Jenna Ellis is leaving the Republican Party in protest amid reports that the party’s chief attorney bashed the Trump campaign’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
During Monday’s episode of “Just the Truth,” her show on Real America’s Voice, Ellis said she was leaving the party until its top officials resign, including Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
“All of them, including Ronna McDaniel, should resign now. Until they do, as of today, I am resigning from the party,” Ellis said.
“I am changing my voter registration, and I am no longer a Republican until the party decides that it wants to be conservative again. Even if I stand alone for the truth, I will stand for the truth,” she continued.
The resignation comes after The Washington Post reported that Justin Riemer, chief legal counsel for the Republican National Committee, sent an email asking an RNC official to not share unfounded claims of voter fraud.
“What Rudy and Jenna are doing is a joke and they are getting laughed out of court,” Riemer said of Ellis and Rudy Giuliani.
“They are misleading millions of people who have wishful thinking that the president is going to somehow win this thing,” Riemer continued.
Business Insider also reported the account via an early copy of Michael Wolff’s forthcoming book, “Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency.” This account notes that Ellis was forwarded the email, which she saw during a dinner with Giuliani and former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik.
Riemer said in a statement to The Hill that “any suggestion that I did not support President Trump or do everything in my power to support the RNC’s efforts to reelect President Trump is false.”
“I will say publicly now what I then said privately: I take issue with individuals who brought lawsuits that did not serve President Trump well and did not give him the best chance in court. I have spent my entire career working on election integrity, supporting conservative policies, and electing Republicans. This includes serving in the Trump administration and helping elect President Trump at the RNC in 2016 and 2020. My record of fighting for his re-election and for election integrity speaks for itself,” Riemer said.
Ellis referred to the Business Insider story on Monday. She said the emails show that the RNC didn’t fight hard enough for former President Trump.
“Because it was more politically expedient, Riemer and others in the RNC didn’t want to fight for the truth,” Ellis said.
“Riemer is entitled to his opinion, but what the RNC is not entitled to do is sabotage Trump while also fundraising off of Trump and telling you, the American people, that they’re fighting for him when they’re really not,” she continued. “What happened to the millions raised by the RNC in November and December 2020? The Trump team never saw a dime of that help. The RNC is lying to you.”
An RNC spokesperson told The Hill in a statement, “The RNC, including our legal team, fought vigorously for election integrity before, during, and after the 2020 election, spending over $30 million and engaging in over 50 lawsuits.”
“Election integrity is a critical issue we face not only as a Party but also as a country, and our effort continues today as we are engaged in nearly 20 lawsuits backed by a multimillion-dollar investment,” the spokesperson said.
Updated at 5:04 p.m.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed..