They, the Republicans, are trying to play it both ways. That's how stupid they think we are. The Pubs are saying on the one hand, "Yes of course we know it is deliberate nonsense to derail the nomination." However, this statement of 'revelation' is usually followed by, "But we have a duty to let the process play out." Even though 'letting the process play out' will effectively derail the nomination. It is circular reasoning.
The summation of this kind of logic is, "Yes we know what the Democrats are doing, and we intend to let them do it even though we already know what they are up to."