NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's hush money trial lawyers on Friday argued that the former publisher of the National Enquirer sought to protect Trump from negative coverage during the 2016 election. We thoroughly dug into his efforts.
David Pecker returned to the stand for a fourth day as his defense tried to poke holes in his testimony, which raised concerns that Trump could harm his campaign. He said he helped cover up the embarrassing story.
Pecker has painted a sleazy portrait of the tabloids' “catch-and-kill” schemes. That is, capturing potentially harmful articles by buying the rights to them, then killing them with an agreement that prevents the paid person from telling the story to anyone else.
The cross-examination, which began Thursday, caps a crucial week in the criminal case facing the former president as he seeks to retake the White House in November.
The charges center on a $130,000 payment made by Trump's company to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen. He paid that amount on Trump's behalf to stop porn actor Stormy Daniels from going public with claims that she had sexual contact with Trump a decade ago. President Trump has denied that any such contact occurred.
Prosecutors allege that Trump obscured the nature of these payments and falsely recorded them as legal expenses. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The case is the first-ever criminal trial against a former U.S. president and the first of Trump's four charges to reach a jury.
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Here's the latest information:
Publisher disputes past statements
In the most divisive moment yet in Donald Trump's hush money trial on Friday, defense attorney Emile Bove said former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker's testimony He said that contradicts statements he made to federal prosecutors in 2018.
During a visit to the White House on January 6, 2017, Pecker helped Trump respond to potential stories about former Playboy model Karen McDougal and Trump Tower doorman Dino Sajudin. He testified that he was grateful for the help.
But Pecker previously told federal authorities that Trump did not express any gratitude to him or the American media during their meeting, according to a memo cited by Bove in court.
Pecker stuck to the story he told in court Friday.
“I know what the truth is,” he said.
Former Playboy model's work attracts attention
Donald Trump's lawyers in his hush money trial on Friday focused on a 2016 deal the National Enquirer's parent company signed with former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
The $150,000 deal gave American Media exclusive rights to any relationship between Ms. McDougall and “the man she was married to at the time.” McDougal claims she had an affair with Trump. Mr. Trump denies that.
The contract also called for McDougall to work on various titles for American Media. Former Enquirer publisher David Pecker previously said the clause was actually meant to prevent McDougal's story from becoming public and affecting Trump's chances of becoming president. I testified.
But Pecker, under cross-examination by Trump attorney Emile Bove on Friday, added that American Media pitched itself as a place to help McDougal restart his career.
When American Media signed the contract with her, “you believed there was a legitimate business purpose, right?” Bove asked.
“I did,” Mr. Pecker said.
The company ended up operating more than 65 stories under her name, he said.
McDougall's story and her contract with American Media finally became public in a Wall Street Journal article four days before the 2016 election, after early and absentee voting had begun.
Prosecutors object to use of 'President' Trump
Donald Trump's defense in his hush money trial has irritated prosecutors by insisting on calling him “President Trump” even when describing events that occurred before the election.
Trump's lawyer said at the beginning of the trial that he would refer to his client as “the President” in deference to the office he held from 2017 to 2021.
But Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass suggested Friday that using that title for questions or testimony related to events that occurred during the 2015 and 2016 campaigns is anachronistic and confusing.
“Objection. He was not President Trump as of June 2016,” Steinglass noted after such a reference. The judge upheld the objection.
Cross-examination turns to earlier sordid testimony
Donald Trump's lawyers on Friday laid out the sordid details at the heart of former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker's earlier testimony in the former president's hush money trial.
Emile Bove said the Enquirer's parent company, not Trump or Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, said in 2015 that Trump fathered a child with an employee there. He revealed that he paid a former Trump Tower doorman $30,000 for the rights to baseless claims.
Pecker previously thought the Enquirer would make a huge tabloid story if it was accurate, but ultimately concluded the story was “1000% false.” He testified that he did not post it. Both Trump and the women involved have denied the allegations.
Beauvais asked Pecker if he would carry out the story if it were true. Pecker answered, “Yes.”
Details of Trump campaign support
In Donald Trump's hush money trial, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker revealed in August 2015 that he and his former publisher had discussed plans for the tabloid to support Trump's presidential campaign. He testified that he set it up with Trump ally Michael Cohen.
But under questioning from Trump's lawyers, Pecker on Friday mentioned the term “catch-and-kill” at the meeting, which describes the practice of tabloid newspapers buying the rights to stories so they never see the light of day. admitted that there was no.
Pecker said the meeting also didn't discuss “financial aspects,” such as the Enquirer paying people for rights to articles on Trump's behalf.
Pecker also said the National Enquirer had negative comments about Trump's 2016 rival Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, long before their August 2015 meeting. He also admitted that he had circulated the article. Mr. Pecker previously testified that stories about the Clintons boosted sales in supermarket tabloids.
A deep dive into NATIONAL ENQUIRER's editorial process
Donald Trump's lawyer Emil Bove infiltrated the National Enquirer's editorial process and, on the fourth day of testimony in the former president's hush-money trial, revealed that he had no right to any agreement with Trump. , trying to prove that the tabloids had their own incentives.
To make his point, Bove highlighted five unflattering headlines from 2015 about Ben Carson, who ran against Trump in the 2016 Republican primary. Bove pointed out that this information was extracted from public information published in other news outlets, including the Guardian newspaper.
Former Enquirer publisher David Pecker took the stand for the fourth day and said in his testimony that it was standard at the publisher to reuse stories from other outlets in new ways. He admitted that it was a common practice.
“Because it's better, it's faster, it's more cost-effective. Could we have done it without President Trump?” Bove asked.
“Um, yes,” Pecker replied.
The judge issues instructions and resumes questioning.
Jury day in Donald Trump's hush money trial began Friday with a judge's directive that prosecutors and defense attorneys may meet with witnesses before trial to help prepare their testimony.
This concerns testimony that emerged late Thursday when President Trump's lawyer, Emile Bove, was cross-examining former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker.
As the fourth day of testimony began in the Manhattan courtroom, Mr. Beauvais resumed questioning Mr. Pecker.
Happy Birthday to President Trump and Melania
Donald Trump entered the courtroom Friday at his hush money trial in Manhattan carrying a thick stack of bound documents that he said were reports released by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on the Manhattan District Attorney's office. Ta.
The former president has not read the report, but said it “might be interesting.”
President Trump told reporters he wanted to wish his wife, former first lady Melania Trump, a happy birthday, saying, “I'm happy to be with her, but I'm in court.”
He said he plans to fly home to his girlfriend in Florida on Friday evening after this week's court session.
Mr. Pecker provided insight into the national research agency.
Even by National Enquirer standards, former publisher David Pecker's testimony in Donald Trump's hush-money trial this week revealed an astonishing level of corruption at America's most famous tabloid. and may one day be seen as the moment of virtual extinction.
Lachlan Cartwright, editor-in-chief of the Enquirer from 2014 to 2017, said: “There is absolutely zero credibility. Whatever credibility there was, what happened in court this week… “It was completely damaged by it.”
On Thursday, Mr. Pecker returned to the stand to discuss the deals he made to boost Mr. Trump's 2016 presidential bid, crush his rivals and silence revelations that could have damaged Mr. Trump. He spoke in detail.
Gag order hearing rescheduled due to campaign event
A change in court dates means Donald Trump will no longer be sidelined from the campaign trail next week to attend a hush money criminal trial hearing in New York.
Judge Juan M. Marchan postponed the hearing on the former president's gag order violation charges to next Thursday, to avoid conflict with his campaign scheduled for next Wednesday.
Marchand originally scheduled the hearing for next Wednesday, a regular court holiday. Trump is scheduled to hold campaign events in Michigan and Wisconsin on the same day. His lawyers are asking the judge not to hold any hearings on Wednesday so he can campaign.
The hearing, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. next Thursday, May 2, concerns prosecutors' request to punish President Trump for violating the gag order four times this week.
The order prohibits President Trump from commenting on witnesses or others involved in the incident. Marchan is already considering holding Trump in contempt of court and fining him up to $10,000 for other gag violations.
