Florida governor slams 'Soros-funded' Manhattan DA over possible Trump charges

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, US (AA) - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed Manhattan, New York district attorney Alvin Bragg on Monday for being a "Soros-funded prosecutor."

Referring to the billionaire businessman George Soros, who financially backs liberal and progressive causes, DeSantis broke his silence on Bragg and former President Donald Trump's legal woes.

"The Manhattan district attorney...like other Soros-funded prosecutors, they weaponize their office to impose a political agenda on society at the expense of the rule of law and public safety," DeSantis said at a news conference.

DeSantis' remarks come as Bragg is reportedly considering indicting Trump on charges that stem from a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.

The money was paid to Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, by then-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with the former president back in 2006.

"And so you're talking about this situation with, and like, 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 I can't speak to that," said DeSantis.

"I’ve seen rumors swirl, I have not seen any facts yet, and so I don’t know what’s going to happen," he continued.

Trump himself made a bold reference to his legal future on his social media website over the weekend.

“THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Trump posted online, according to the New York Times.

DeSantis, a potential Trump rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, made it clear that he would not be entering the spectacle of Trump's legal wranglings in New York.

"I have no interest in getting involved in some type of manufactured circus by some Soros DA," he said. "I can't spend my time worrying about things of that nature."

Trump responded to DeSantis on social media.

"Ron DeSanctimonious will probably find out about FALSE ACCUSATIONS & FAKE STORIES sometime in the future, as he gets older, wiser, and better known, when he's unfairly and illegally attacked by a woman, even classmates that are 'underage' (or possibly a man!)," Trump posted. "I'm sure he will want to fight these misfits just like I do!"