CNN Legal Analyst Reacts On-Air To Being Cited By Trump — Along With Fox News Experts — In Felony Sentencing Rant

CNN legal analyst Elie Honig reacted on-air to President-elect Donald Trump citing him in a courtroom rant during Judge Juan Merchan’s sentencing hearing — along with several Fox News legal experts.

Trump appeared virtually on Friday for sentencing on the 34 felony counts he was found guilty of in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial, hours after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to deny Trump’s emergency petition.

The judge imposed a sentence of an unconditional discharge, which carries no penalty but finalizes Trump’s status as a convicted felon and avails him of full appeal rights.

During the hearing, Trump went off on a rant about the case, which included a chunk about “very respected” television experts like Fox News personalities Jonathan Turley, Andy McCarthy, and others — and “Elie Honig from CNN of all places”:

Now, if you look, my attorney alluded to it, the top legal scholars and legal pundits in this country, the ones that are quoted all the time on television that are making their views felt and highly respected people have said — everyone, virtually everyone that I know of, haven’t seen any to the contrary, not one. And none of — these people are not exactly friends of mine, to put it mildly. But they all said this is a case that should have never been brought. It’s an injustice of justice.

Very respected Jonathan Turley, Andy McCarthy, Judge David Rivkin, a wonderful man who just passed away, by the way. Gregg Jarrett, Elie Honig from CNN of all places. CNN said that, Paul Ingrassia, Alan Dershowitz, they all said, this is not a case that should be brought. It’s — now, think about it. Legal expenses are down as legal expenses and I get indicted for business records. Everybody should be so accurate.

Minutes later on Thursday’s edition of CNN News Central, anchor Pamela Brown noted the moment, and Honig reacted by joking:

BROWN: And we should note these pictures were taken before the sentencing hearing actually started where he’s pointing there. But that’s a really important point, Kaitlan, because it really emphasizes just the unique and remarkable set of circumstances here, as Judge Merchan himself put it. And we should also note, Elie Honig, you were mentioned in this hearing.

ELIE HONIG: Yes. So first public service announcement. You are — anyone is free to use anything I say on air or in writing, but my words have zero binding impact on any judge anywhere. So I — I don’t recommend citing me, but you’re free to do it. There was — there was such a contrast here between sort of the remarkable and the unremarkable. And the judge actually noted this.

On the one hand, it wasn’t really that different than any of the other. The judge said 32 different trials happening in that courthouse at that time. It was orderly. We followed all the normal procedures. The jury came out with its verdict. On the other hand, of course, this guy was at that point a former president now he is the president- elect.

Watch above via CNN News Central.