A vibrant former tabloid publisher took the stand on Tuesday in Donald Trump’s trial concerning alleged concealment of negative information, recounting how he managed to suppress unfavorable stories about the real estate magnate, a practice commonly referred to as “catch and kill.”
Trump, aged 77, facing unprecedented criminal charges as a former US president, stands accused of manipulating business records to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels regarding a purported 2006 encounter that could have tarnished his 2016 presidential campaign.
Prosecutors claim that Trump committed “election fraud” by arranging for his then-personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to make a $130,000 payment to Daniels just before the 2016 election, in which he emerged victorious over Hillary Clinton.
David Pecker, aged 72, former publisher of the National Enquirer, was the prosecution’s inaugural witness in Trump’s consequential trial, which unfolds less than seven months before his anticipated rematch with President Joe Biden.
Pecker’s testimony aims to illustrate the prevalence of the “catch and kill” tactic in silencing detrimental stories, a method purportedly employed by Trump and his once-loyal confidant Cohen, who has since become a vocal opponent of his former employer.
Following a lengthy preliminary hearing, during which prosecutors sought to hold Trump in contempt of court for breaching a partial gag order prohibiting him from publicly denigrating witnesses, jurors, or court personnel, Judge Juan Merchan deferred a ruling.
Pecker, who has known Trump since 1989 and regards him as a friend, revealed that he and Trump discussed aiding Trump’s budding 2016 presidential campaign during a meeting at Trump Tower in August 2015.
At the meeting, Pecker pledged to promote positive stories about Trump while suppressing negative ones about his rivals. He also disclosed that he would notify Cohen of potentially damaging stories about Trump, allowing Cohen to intervene and prevent their publication.
Pecker recounted two instances where payments were made to quash unfavorable stories—one involving a false claim from a Trump Tower doorman and another concerning former Playboy model Karen McDougal’s alleged affair with Trump, for which she received $150,000 to remain silent.
Pecker is scheduled to continue his testimony when the trial reconvenes on Thursday.
Before Pecker’s testimony, prosecutors, during a closed-door session without the jury present, accused Trump of flagrantly violating the gag order imposed by the judge, calling for fines but not immediate imprisonment.
Both Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) and Michael Cohen are anticipated to testify for the prosecution, despite Trump’s public disparagement of them on social media platform Truth Social.
Trump criticized the judge’s gag order as “unconstitutional,” lamenting the disparity between his courtroom obligations and Biden’s campaigning activities, deeming the situation “very unfair.”
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