Trump expected to appear at pretrial hearing in Manhattan "hush money" criminal case
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The Spin
Republican narrative
This sham case shouldn't be allowed to proceed. Even some liberals acknowledge that Bragg’s half-baked assertions that Trump violated campaign finance laws by making hush money payments are ridiculous, yet partisan judges will do anything to force Trump to be in the courtroom instead of campaigning.
Democratic narrative
Trump's claim that a presidential candidate is shielded from criminal prosecution was weak at best, and it's shameful that any lawyer would've offered it. Thankfully, Merchan rejected this preposterous notion and now Trump will be treated like any other defendant.