Proud Boys verdicts 'should' make Jan. 6 charges against Trump more likely: ex-prosecutor

The decisions handed down against some members of the Proud Boys for their participation in the attempted insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, "should" affect whether authorities charge former president Donald Trump for his role, a former prosecutor said.

Attorney Elie Honig of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, a former New Jersey and federal prosecutor, was a guest on CNN on Thursday when the panel was discussing how four Proud Boys members were found guilty of seditious conspiracy. The host, Jake Tapper, said it seems like those who were convicted thought that they were doing what they were doing "in service of Donald Trump."

"They heard him say stand back and stand by," Tapper said. "Will this verdict make it more likely, do you think, that the Justice Department will charge Trump for his role in the insurrection?"

Responding to Tapper, Honig said: "I think it should, but I'm not so sure that it will," Honig said. "First of all, these verdicts are a statement; they are proof of concept. Now for the third time we see that the DOJ is fully capable of charging seditious conspiracy and getting convictions."

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Honig added that the "model" prosecutors used, could inform a Trump prosecution.

"Also if you look at the way they didn't have one smoking gun. Instead what they did, was they put together all the evidence, testimony, and documents showing that there was talk of revolution insurrection and that they had a plan to go to the Capitol and stay in coordination," he added. "So you can see how that model could be used against Donald Trump and others."

Honig said it's "fair to ask" why charges against Trump haven't been brought already in this case, if prosecutors do intend to do so.

You can watch the video below or at the link.