Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sought to distance himself from former President Donald Trump's claim that he would be arrested Tuesday when he was asked about it at a news conference Monday.

"I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. I just can't speak to that," DeSantis said.

His answer elicited laughter from the audience of supporters in Panama, Fla.

This reference to the core of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation was just one swipe within DeSantis' full answer, in which he labeled any district attorney backed by billionaire George Soros as a "menace to society" who is ignoring local crime.

"I have no interest in getting involved in some type of manufactured circus by some Soros DA," DeSantis said. "We've got so many things pending in front of the legislature. I've got to spend my time on issues that actually matter to people. I can't spend my time worrying about things of that nature."

A grand jury in Manhattan has been probing a "hush money" payment allegedly made on Trump's behalf to adult film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election. Trump was invited to testify before the grand jury last week, and in New York, the offer to testify often precedes an indictment.

But DeSantis' answer and some of the reaction — or lack of reaction — from other potential 2024 presidential candidates comes at a time when Trump is trying to gain some benefit from the investigation. His campaign...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiXGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNic25ld3MuY29tL25l...