Instead of pretend, why not pre-tend

"Susan Collins Is Just Going to Pretend Brett Kavanaugh Didn’t Lie to Her Face" | Vanity Fair

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/12/susan-collins-brett-kavanaugh-roe-v-wade

"Meadows: Trump considered yanking Kavanaugh over ‘I like beer’ comments and apologetic tone"

https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2021/12/07/mark-meadows-book-trump-kavanaugh-523877

"Christine Blasey Ford lawyers call Kavanaugh investigation a 'sham' after new details emerge" - POLITICO

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/23/christine-blasey-ford-brett-kavanaugh-investigation-new-details-500652