'It's not crazy': CNN legal expert floored as Trump's pardon may blow up pipe bomb case

A CNN legal expert was floored on Tuesday while discussing how President Donald Trump's pardon of the Jan. 6 rioters could impact an ongoing, high-profile case.

Lawyers for Brian J. Cole Jr., who has been accused of placing pipe bombs outside of the Republican and Democratic national committees in Washington, D.C., ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection, recently argued in court that Trump's sweeping pardon for the rioters should also apply to Cole, Fox News reported. They argued that Cole is "inextricably" tied to the events contemplated in the pardon.

Elie Honig, a former federal prosecutor, was floored by the argument during a segment on CNN's "The Lead" with Jake Tapper. He argued that the argument illustrates the "Pandora's box" that Trump opened by issuing the broad pardon.

"It's not crazy, Jake. You and I did anticipate they would make this argument," Honig said. "If you look at that pardon, it says it relates broadly to all events at or near the Capitol on January 6. And what the defendant's legal team is arguing is, 'Okay, he set the bombs certainly near the Capitol. The RNC and DNC are just a few hundred yards away. The evening of January 5th, a few hours before January 6th, and most importantly, united by the same purpose, which is to dispute the 2020 election results.'"

"This is the Pandora's box that a president opens when he issues a broad, sweeping blanket pardon like this one," Honig said. "He has given rise to this defense argument."