Part 4/8:
While some judges, including two of the five, upheld the fraud allegations, the majority sentiment was against what many see as a politically motivated assault. Judge David Friedman was notably outspoken, decrying that Attorney General James’s ultimate goal was not honest market regulation but political hygiene—aimed at ending Trump’s political career and destroying his business legacy.
Friedman’s strong dissent alluded to the broader context of the case, suggesting that the entire prosecution was less about legal violations and more about removing Trump from the political landscape. The court’s unanimous decision to block the punitive fine effectively derails this effort and preserves Trump’s business operations.