Hunter had a plea deal lined up for a charge that is rarely prosecuted or if so also results in plea deals. It was GOP pressure to cancel the deal and go to trial.

I do think you are correct, GOP expected an innocent verdict. Heck, even jurors who voted guilty admitted publicly they were surprised this even got to trial.

But after pushing for an actual trial, the GOP now is saying it was a plot to make Trump's guilty verdict legitimate. (It's legitimate regardless of MAGA delusions).