Trump Name-Checks CNN’s Elie Honig and MSNBC Analyst Amid Daily Pro-Trump Pundit Rundown At Courthouse
Former President Donald Trump name-checked CNN legal analyst Elie Honig and MSNBC analyst Catherine Christian in the middle of his morning rundown of pro-Trump pundits who deride Trump’s criminal trial, most of whom are from Fox News.
Trump showed up Thursday morning to give his customary rant before going into court as the jury continued deliberating the 34 felony counts against him in the Stormy Daniels hush money-election interference trial— a ritual he skipped Wednesday.
Along with a familiar litany of complaints and falsehoods, Trump ran through some punditry that he haltingly read from printouts and periodically embellished by restating in simple or nearly identical language.
But among conservative pundits like Gregg Jarrett, Mark Levin, National Review, and Judge Jeanine Pirro, Trump threw in a few quotes from Fox News rivals:
Elie Honig, legal analyst for CNN. “The crime here is not easy to explain or to understand.”
It’s just not understandable.
In other words, there is no crime. This is CNN.
Catherine Christian from MSNBC. I call it MSDNC. A legal analyst. “It’s difficult because it’s a very nuanced argument. It’s never been prosecuted before.”
This is an argument that has never been prosecuted before, and hopefully they’ll never be prosecuted again. And regard that this is anything but standard. It’s the antithesis of standard.
The clips in question come from MSNBC’s and CNN’s Trump trial coverage, respectively. On Tuesday, Honig said:
Right. And let’s keep in mind the Feds, the Southern District of New York did pass on. This case writ large there are differences in federal and state law, but just so people can follow along at home, because the crime here is not easy to explain and understand. We’re working on a visual for tomorrow. But it’s basically a three-step here for the prosecution, which is not great but they can still do it.
He did not say, in other words or non-other words, “there is no crime.”
Also on Tuesday, Christian weighed in on the charges:
CATHERINE CHRISTIAN: This has never been prosecuted before. This– falsified business records prosecuted all the time. Saw it all the time. Investigated all the time.
But it’s usually grand larceny insurance or a tax fraud. It’s never been done this way.
It’s usually also not the only charge on the indictment. It’s usually the lower level because it’s an E felony, the lowest level felony in New York, you have the grand larceny, you have the higher charges. And oh, by the way, he also falsified business records.
ANDREA MITCHELL: Does that makes it very difficult for the jury? Because it is so novel?
CATHERINE CHRISTIAN: I mean, well, they’re not supposed to know that. But it is difficult because it’s a very nuanced argument.
It’s also, thank goodness you have in Judge Merchan, and he is a very good judge. It’s his jury instructions. I’m sure he spent a lot of time putting together because this case, if there’s a conviction, will be appealed just on the fact that it’s never been prosecuted before. So it’s a very nuanced argument for the prosecution to make.
Watch above via Pool.
