Trump uses CNN commentator to argue he should be found not guilty

Former President Trump on Thursday pointed to recent remarks from a CNN legal analyst to bolster his argument that he should not be found guilty in his hush money trial in New York.

Trump, speaking with reporters following a day in court, listed off a series of news outlets and their respective analysts who have expressed doubts over the case against him, including CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig.

“It was a very interesting day, it was a fascinating day, and it shows what a scam this whole thing is. And I think that seems to be the way everyone … even CNN and [MSNBC] … they have quotes over here,” Trump said, pointing to a pile of papers in his hand.

“Throughout the trial, Elie Honig, this is a statement he just made … ‘Would not have even charged this case,'” Trump added.

Honig, who frequently joins CNN segments to break down the former president’s legal battles, expressed concerns this week about the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen.

Cohen, Trump’s onetime fixer and attorney, was grilled Thursday by Trump’s defense team during cross-examination.

During CNN’s live coverage of the trial Thursday, Honig remarked, “I don’t think I’ve never seen a star cooperating witness get his knees chopped out quite as clearly and dramatically as what just happened with Michael Cohen.”

A day earlier, Honig, who previously served as a federal and state prosecutor, suggested Cohen’s public dislike of Trump would be a “bonanza” for the former president’s legal team.

“The fact that Michael Cohen so obviously and over the top is consumed by hatred for Donald Trump, and wants him in prison, is celebrating and is selling T-shirts is outrageous. We sort of take it for granted because this has just been Michael Cohen‘s public persona for the last five, six years. This should be a bonanza for cross-examination,” Honig said Wednesday after hearing the Trump team’s questions for Cohen.

The Hill reached out to CNN for further comment.

CNN host Anderson Cooper also said Thursday that Cohen’s cross-examination exposed serious doubts about his credibility, pointing to an exchange in which Trump attorney Todd Blanche accused Cohen of lying about an alleged call with Trump.

“I think it’s devastating for Michael Cohen’s credibility on this one particular topic,” Cooper said.

“If I was a juror in this case watching that, I would think, ‘This guy’s making this up as he’s going along,’ or ‘he’s making this particular story up,’” he said of Cohen.

Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to reimbursements made to Cohen for a payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to stay quiet about an alleged affair.

The former president has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denied any affair.

The former president’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., echoed his argument in a statement Thursday, writing in an emailed statement, “Even CNN and MSNBC Know That Alvin Bragg Had An Awful Day.”

The super PAC pointed to remarks made by other journalists about Cohen’s testimony, including MSNBC anchor Ari Melber, who said Thursday, “I think the punches are building cumulatively. I think Tuesday there were bruises, and today there is blood.”