NEW YORK (AP) — Defense attorneys at The secret trial of Donald Trump dig deeper Friday into the former National Enquirer publisher’s claims and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 elections.
David Pecker returned to the witness stand for the fourth day as defense attorneys attempted to poke holes in his testimony, resulting in described helping to bury Embarrassing stories that Trump feared could harm his campaign.
Pecker painted a sordid portrait of tabloid “catch and kill” schemes: capturing a potentially damaging story by buying the rights to it, then killing it through deals that prevent the person being paid from telling the story to anyone else. ‘other.
The cross-examination, which began Thursday, will cap a consequential week in the criminal cases facing the former president as he fights to win back the White House in November.
The charges relate to $130,000 in payments Trump’s company made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. He paid this amount on behalf of Trump to keep porn actor Stormy Daniels to go public with her claims about a sexual relationship with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied that this meeting ever took place.
Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of those payments and falsely recorded them as legal fees. He has pleaded not guilty has 34 counts falsification of commercial documents.
This is the first ever criminal trial of a former US president and the first of four lawsuits against Trump to reach a jury.
Currently:
— Key moments in the Supreme Court’s arguments on Donald Trump’s immunity claims
— Trading Trump: Truth Social’s first month of trading sent investors for a spin
— These people have been accused of interfering in the 2020 elections. Some are still in politics today
— Key players: who does what at Donald Trump silence, criminal trial of money
— The financial silence case is just one of Trump’s legal cases. See others here
Here is the last one:
THE WORK OF THE OLD PLAYBOY MODEL HIGHLIGHTED
A lawyer for Donald Trump, in his secret trial, turned Friday to the National Enquirer parent’s 2016 deal with former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
The $150,000 deal gave American Media exclusive rights to McDougal’s account of any relationship with “any then-married man.” McDougal claims she and Trump had an affair. Trump denies it.
The contract also called for McDougal to work for various American media titles. Former Enquirer publisher David Pecker said earlier that the provision was actually intended to prevent McDougal’s story from becoming public and influence Trump’s chances for the presidency.
But under questioning Friday by Trump lawyer Emil Bove, Pecker added that American Media presented itself as a place to help McDougal revive his career.
When American Media signed its deal with her, “you thought he had a legitimate business purpose, right?” » asked Bové.
“I did it,” Pecker said.
The company ended up publishing more than 65 stories in its…
