Shocked Elie Honig Finds Out Live on CNN That He’s in Trump Lawyers’ Supreme Court Petition: ‘I Am?’

CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig got quite the surprise on Monday night when Kaitlan Collins informed him that attorneys for Donald Trump cited him in their petition to the Supreme Court.

Hours earlier, the former president’s lawyers asked the high court to stay a ruling from the U.S. Court for the District of Columbia Circuit handed down last week. A three-judge panel said Trump is not immune from being prosecuted by Special Counsel Jack Smith in D.C. federal court over his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. It is unclear if the Supreme Court will take up the case.

Collins welcomed Honig to The Source, where she gave viewers – and Honig – some unexpected news about the 110-page petition:

COLLINS: Elie was actually quoted in this brief, I should note.

HONIG: I am?

COLLINS: Were you a little surprised to see that?

HONIG: I’m learning that right now. I fear what they quoted me on.

COLLINS: You haven’t seen this?!

HONIG: No.

COLLINS: You’re quoted in this. No one read this to you?

HONIG: I read the brief quickly. Tell me what I’m quoted on.

COLLINS: They cite– well, it’s a footnote, but they cite something you wrote, which is that Jack Smith never uses the “e” word.

HONIG: Ohhhhh.

COLLINS: Which is?

HONIG: Election. I’m dubious of Jack Smith’s motives. My criticism of Jack Smith is, obviously he’s pushing to get this in before the election, I think for good reason. But there’s a level of disingenuousness in his refusal to say that’s why. And I argue in the piece that I think they mentioned here that he should just say it. Say what we all know and say what the vast majority of American people understand to believe is correct – that he’s pushing to get this done before… the election.

Trump’s petition cited an appearance by Honig on CNN in December in which the legal expert argued Smith should be frank about wanting the case to go to trial before the November general election in which Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee. Advocates of this position say a jury should weigh in before voters decide.

It wasn’t the first time attorneys for Trump cited that appearance. In a brief filed on Dec. 20, 2023, Trump’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court to reject a request from Smith to quickly decide on Trump’s immunity claims. The court ruled against Smith and has so far avoided taking up the question.

Watch above via CNN.