During Thursday’s segment of CNN’s “The Source,” Elie Honig, a Senior Legal Analyst for CNN and former prosecutor, remarked that the lawsuit initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Donald Trump was undoubtedly politically motivated. Additionally, he noted that although Letitia James took civil action against Trump, it does not validate or excuse Trump’s subsequent criminal targeting of her.

Honig started by expressing that he wouldn’t have pursued the case due to the “insignificant” financial sums involved, explaining that the $18,000 alleged profit is far less than what is typical in mortgage fraud cases he’s encountered.

He continued, “The lawsuit Letitia filed against Donald Trump was unquestionably politically driven. Politically, it had the opposite effect, assisting Trump in securing the Republican nomination. Legally, it backfired when, about a month ago, a New York Court of Appeals nullified most of the ruling, eliminating the monetary penalties. Importantly, although Letitia James pursued Donald Trump civilly, this doesn’t excuse Trump’s criminal targeting of her. As simple logic suggests, two wrongs do not make a right. Furthermore, all this reciprocal action may actually favor Letitia James strategically in court. She is likely to argue a case of vindictive or selective prosecution, leveraging their past interactions as evidence. This could strengthen her motion to dismiss the charges against her.”