David Pecker, the previous publisher of National Enquirer, testified in a UK court that he made arrangements for Former US President, Donald Trump, to silence a Playboy model who reportedly had an affair with him, but he later pulled out of the agreement.
In his testimony, 72-year-old Pecker stated that a pact was drafted with Trump’s personal advocate, Michael Cohen, to transfer the woman’s story rights to a dummy corporation. This would cloak that the finances for it were being generated by Trump’s company. However, following a discussion with a company legal adviser, Mr Pecker chose to end the deal.
Pecker recalled an exchange with Cohen in which he was told, “The boss will be furious at you”. He replied, “I’m genuinely sorry, but I’m pulling out, the contract is null and void”. Cohen was reportedly irate and yelled at him, Pecker recollected.
Pecker is a crucial witness in the legal case against the former US leader, who is facing charges of forging trade documents to conceal a pay-off to another woman, porn star Stormy Daniels, to keep her quiet about their alleged sexual involvement.
It is the prosecution’s claim that Pecker, Trump and Cohen conspired to defile the 2016 election by hushing stories that could sabotage Trump’s presidential bid. Pecker has not been accused of a crime.
Previously David Pecker, the ex-CEO of American Media, the company that manages the National Enquirer, offered testimony, asserting that he utilized his role to aid Trump in stopping derogatory stories that could harm his campaign.
As per Pecker, following Trump’s announcement of his candidacy for the 2016 Presidential election, he invited Pecker and Cohen to a conference at Trump Tower. Trump was seeking a media expert who could assist in burying negative press- a technique prosecutors have termed “catch-and-kill”.
Pecker claimed that he was asked what he and his magazines could do to bolster the campaign. He responded saying he could serve as the campaign’s “eyes and ears”.
In an ongoing trial, prosecutors have asserted that Mr Pecker played a pivotal role in linking Mr Trump with Ms Daniels in 2016, prior to the US election. Mr Trump is presently facing 34 criminal charges for allegedly fabricating business documents, supposedly to hide a payment of $130,000 to Ms Daniels in 2016 over an affair that took place in 2006.
In addition to Ms Daniels, it is also claimed by the prosecutors that American Media compensated two other individuals possessing intimate stories relating to Mr Trump. These include a doorman, Dino Sajudin, who asserted Mr Trump fathered a child from a romantic relationship outside of his marriage, and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed she was involved in an extramarital relationship with Mr Trump.
Mr Pecker, the inaugural witness in the trial which is in its seventh day and projected to go on for 6 weeks, validated American Media’s payment of $30,000 to Mr Sajudin for his story, effectively, however, suppressing it by not publishing it.
Mr Trump, vehemently denies the 34 felony charges, refusing the claim of having relations with both Ms Daniels (whose real identity is Stephanie Clifford) and Ms McDougal. His defence argues that the payments made to Ms Daniels, which are legally permissible, were personal and do not relate to his campaign.
Prosecutors, on contrary, maintain that the payment ought to have been declared as a campaign cost and that voters were deceived by Mr Trump’s undisclosed agreement with the Enquirer to withhold stories of supposed adulterous relationships, at a time when sexual misbehaviour allegations against him were surfacing.
The trial carries substantial political implications for Mr Trump as he gets ready for another showdown in the November election against the current President Joe Biden, while simultaneously contesting three additional criminal charges to which he has also declared his innocence.
The US Supreme Court debates, which began on Thursday, focus on the question of whether Mr Trump can dodge prosecution regarding his attempts to reverse his 2020 electoral defeat to Joe Biden. For the first time on Thursday, the justices deliberated over the concept of whether a former president is completely immune to criminal charges relating to decisions made during their tenure, as claimed by Mr Trump.
For the first time, a former president has been indicted. Mr Trump had wished to attend the Supreme Court on Thursday, but he is obliged to appear in a New York court for the hush-money case.
Mr Trump bemoans that the trial, commencing on April 15th and projected to last between six and eight weeks, is hindering his ability to undertake political campaigning. However, he has been utilising his court appearances to deliver truncated speeches.
Justice Merchan has issued a restrictive gag order against Mr Trump, prohibiting him from openly criticising witnesses, jurors, and court-associated individuals, including their families.
The prosecution team has requested Justice Merchan to issue fines of $1,000 each for 10 social media posts from Mr Trump that they claim breached this order. This includes a post in which he referred to Mr Cohen and Ms Daniels as “sleazebags”.
Mr Trump argues that this gag order infringes on his right to freedom of speech. He accuses Justice Merchan of treating him unfairly. – As reported by Reuters/Guardian.