PHOENIX (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, who worked closely with his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, will cooperate with Arizona prosecutors in exchange for charges being dropped against her in a fake electors case, the state attorney general’s office announced Monday.
Ellis has previously pleaded not guilty to fraud, forgery and conspiracy charges in the Arizona case. Seventeen other people charged in the case have pleaded not guilty to the felony charges — including Giuliani, Trump presidential chief of staff Mark Meadows and 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring Trump had won Arizona.
“Her insights are invaluable and will greatly aid the State in proving its case in court,” Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement. “As I stated when the initial charges were announced, I will not allow American democracy to be undermined — it is far too important. Today’s announcement is a win for the rule of law.”
Eleven people who had been nominated to be Arizona’s Republican electors had met in Phoenix on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate saying they were “duly elected and qualified” electors and claimed Trump had carried the state in the 2020 election. President Joe Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes.
A one-minute video of the signing ceremony was posted on social media by the Arizona Republican Party at the time. The document was later sent to Congress and the National Archives, where it was ignored.
Last year, Ellis was charged in Georgia after she appeared with Giuliani at a December 2020 hearing hosted by state Republican lawmakers at the Georgia Capitol during which false allegations of election fraud were made. She had pleaded guilty in October to one felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings. The cooperation agreement signed by Ellis in the Arizona case requires her to provide truthful information to the Attorney General’s Office and testify honestly in proceedings in any state or federal court. Prosecutors can withdraw from the deal and refile charges if Ellis violates the agreement.
Prosecutors have already asked a court to dismiss the Arizona charges against Ellis. It wasn’t immediately clear if a judge had yet approved the request.
The Associated Press left messages with Ellis’ attorney, Matthew Brown, after the agreement was announced Monday. Mel McDonald, a retired lawyer and former Arizona U.S. Attorney and judge in metro Phoenix, said cooperation agreements like the one signed by Ellis are common in Arizona state courts and are typically given to insiders who can explain how a crime unfolded.
“You need someone who is part of it to fill in the blanks,” said McDonald, who isn’t involved in the Arizona case.
While not a fake elector in Arizona, prosecutors say Ellis made false claims of widespread election fraud in the state and six others, encouraged the Arizona Legislature to change the outcome of the election and encouraged then-Vice President Mike Pence to accept Arizona’s fake elector votes.
The indictment said Ellis, Giuliani and other associates were at a meeting at the Arizona Legislature on Dec. 1, 2020, with then-House Speaker Rusty Bowers and other Republicans when Giuliani and his team asked the speaker to hold a committee hearing on the election.
When Bowers asked for proof of election fraud, Giuliani said he had proof but Ellis had advised that it was left back at a hotel room, the indictment said. No proof was provided to Bowers.
Ellis also is barred from practicing law in Colorado for three years after her guilty plea in Georgia.
Prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin have also filed criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme.
Arizona authorities unveiled the felony charges in late April. Overall, charges were brought against 11 Republicans who submitted the document falsely declaring Trump had won Arizona, five lawyers connected to the former president and two former Trump aides.
Trump himself was not charged in the Arizona case but was referred to as an unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment.
FILE - Jenna Ellis reads a statement inside Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee's Fulton County, Ga., courtroom, Oct. 24, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, Pool, File)
FILE - Jenna Ellis speaks with her attorney Franklin Hogue after Ellis plead guilty to a felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings, Oct. 24, 2023, inside Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee's Fulton County, Ga., courtroom in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, Pool, File)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 7, 2025--
PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced that it will support EuroSkills Herning 2025, Europe’s largest vocational skills competition, which takes place Sept. 9-13, 2025, in Herning, Denmark. As the Main Skill Sponsor for the Painting and Decorating competition, the company will provide financial support and will also supply SIGMA COATINGS™ paints and PROGOLD™ sundries by PPG.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250407512504/en/
The partnership underscores PPG’s commitment to supporting vocational education and training to shape the workforce of tomorrow. The event will bring together up to 600 young professionals from 33 countries who will compete across 38 skill areas over three days. With the theme “Skilled for a Greener Future,” the competition highlights the vital role of technical and vocational skills in driving sustainability and innovation. Held every two years, EuroSkills provides an important platform to inspire young professionals and showcase industry excellence.
“Vocational education and training are essential for developing a highly skilled workforce and EuroSkills Herning 2025 provides a unique platform to showcase young talent,” said Torben Beck, PPG general manager, Scandinavia and DACH, Architectural Coatings. “At PPG, we recognize that supporting these young professionals is an investment in the future of our industry. We are proud to contribute to their learning journey by providing high-performance coatings that help them hone their skills and prepare for successful careers.”
Participants in the Painting and Decorating competition will be challenged to demonstrate expertise in surface preparation, wallpapering, decorative finishes and color matching. PPG will also support EuroSkills experts, who will assess the competitors' work done using PPG’s premium products, including SigmaCoatings WallPrimer Plus with packaging made from 90% recycled plastic and EU Ecolabel.
PPG’s support of EuroSkills Herning 2025 is part of its broader commitment to investing in education and workforce development. In 2023, PPG and the PPG Foundation announced a $2 million investment to support training programs, curriculum development and career readiness resources for students and educators.
“The growing skills gap in vocational professions requires companies, educators and policymakers to work together to ensure that young people have access to the right resources and training,” said Christian Corlin, chief operating officer, EuroSkills Herning 2025. “Strong industry partnerships are essential to the success of EuroSkills Herning 2025, and we are thrilled to have PPG as a key supporter. Its expertise and high-performance paints and coatings will provide competitors with the tools they need to demonstrate their skills at the highest level. With PPG’s support, we can continue to inspire and prepare young professionals for successful careers in skilled trades.”
To learn more about EuroSkills Herning 2025, visit: https://euroskills2025.com.
PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested $18.4 million in 2024, supporting hundreds of organizations across more than 30 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow tomorrow’s STEM innovators and skilled workforce in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more here.
PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®
At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.8 billion in 2024. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.
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From left: Torben Beck, PPG general manager, Scandinavia and DACH, Architectural Coatings; Kasper Bøgelund, head of competitions, EuroSkills Herning 2025; and Christian Corlin, chief operating officer, EuroSkills Herning 2025, during a visit to the PPG shop in Søborg, Denmark as part of the collaboration agreement signing ceremony.
