Jul 02, 2019 · The lawyer who hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS – which was instrumental in the Trump-Russia narrative – on behalf of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign is now working for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Marc Elias of the Perkins Coie law firm joined the Harris team earlier this year as general counsel, the same ...
On March 12, 2021, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued sanctions on Marc Elias and other Perkins Coie attorneys for "redundant and misleading" motions related to a case in which Marc Elias and his legal team argued that the elimination of straight-ticket voting in Texas disproportionately affected minorities.
In January 2019, Elias became general counsel of the Kamala Harris 2020 presidential campaign. Following the 2020 presidential election, Elias supervised the response to dozens of lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign seeking to overturn Biden's win. Out of 65 such court cases, Elias prevailed in 64.
Marc Erik Elias (born February 1, 1969) is an American attorney specializing in election law, voting rights and redistricting. He is a partner at Perkins Coie and head of the firm's political law practice. He served as general counsel for the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign and John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign.
Born to a Jewish family in New York City , Elias was raised in Suffern, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Hamilton College in 1990. He then earned both a master's degree in political science from Duke University and a J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law.
Elias has worked on voting rights and redistricting lawsuits in more than 25 states, including Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
On March 12, 2021, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued sanctions on Marc Elias and other Perkins Coie attorneys for "redundant and misleading" motions related to a case in which Marc Elias and his legal team argued that the elimination of straight-ticket voting in Texas disproportionately affected minorities. In the ruling, the court stated that Elias and his team "did not notify the court that their latest motion to supplement the record filed on February 10, 2021 was nearly identical to the motion to supplement the record filed several months ago by the same attorneys, on September 29, 2020." Similarly, the court said that "this inexplicable failure to disclose the earlier denial of their motion violated their duty of candor to the court.” The court ordered the listed attorneys to pay double costs and " reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs incurred by Appellant with respect to Appellees’ duplicative February 10, 2021 motion." The cost of the latter is still to be determined by the court. The court also recommended, but not required, that the attorneys review the Court's rules of professional conduct and "complete one hour of Continuing Legal Education in the area of Ethics and Professionalism, specifically candor with the court."
In the ruling, the court stated that Elias and his team "did not notify the court that their latest motion to supplement the record filed on February 10, 2021 was nearly identical to the motion to supplement the record filed several months ago by the same attorneys, on September 29, 2020.".
Elias helped turn a few Democrats who appeared to have lost on election night into winners.
In 2020, Elias led lawsuits around the country to change state laws to allow for expanding mail-in and absentee voting, and to allow the controversial practice of ballot harvesting, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sanctioned Elias and other lawyers with the Washington-based law firm of Perkins Coie for filing a “redundant and misleading” motion in a case over a Texas law that scrapped straight-ticket voting.
Elias helped turn a few Democrats who appeared to have lost on election night into winners.
In 2020, Elias led lawsuits around the country to change state laws to allow for expanding mail-in and absentee voting, and to allow the controversial practice of ballot harvesting, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sanctioned Elias and other lawyers with the Washington-based law firm of Perkins Coie for filing a “redundant and misleading” motion in a case over a Texas law that scrapped straight-ticket voting.