Your point is well-taken. It could be because Mike Pillow has been a loud and consistent supporter of Trump. In fact, the article features an image of Mr Pillow

Your point is well-taken. It could be because Mike Pillow has been a loud and consistent supporter of Trump. In fact, the article features an image of Mr Pillow and Donald Trump. The judge, a Biden appointee, may be giving Mr Pillow as much leniency as possible to avoid trouble with the executive branch, or perhaps to avoid accusations of pro-Biden bias.