Former President Trump’s historic trial in Manhattan heard testimony Monday from former publisher David Pecker, the first witness called by the district attorney.
Mr. Pecker previously served as chairman of American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, and was allegedly at the center of a “catch-and-kill” plot before the 2016 election.
Pecker, 72, took the stand early Monday afternoon before the day’s trial concluded at 12:30 p.m. He spoke in court about American Media Inc. and its various publications, as well as his own personal background and how he owned his 10% of American Media while serving as CEO. He talked about what he was doing.
The courtroom erupted into laughter when the prosecution team asked Pecker to provide the last four digits of his phone number and Pecker gave four different contact numbers. Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass responded, “Sorry, it’s not a quiz,” prompting laughter from Pecker and others in the courtroom.
Pecker told the court that he worked for the company from March 1999 to August 2020 and served as chairman, president and CEO from 2015 to 2017.
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David Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media, speaks at the 2014 Shape and Men’s Fitness Super Bowl Party in New York City on January 31, 2014. (Reuters/Marion Curtis/File photo)
The trial ended on Monday, earlier than originally scheduled, after a juror said he needed a dental appointment that afternoon because of a toothache.
The trial will be the first time a former president faces trial on criminal charges. President Trump is charged with 34 counts of first-degree falsification of business records. He has pleaded not guilty to each charge.
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The lawsuit alleges that President Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen paid former porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 in 2006 to hush claims that she had an affair with the then-real estate mogul. is focused on. Trump denies having an affair with Daniels.
Mr. Daniels reportedly agreed to give the National Enquirer exclusive rights to discuss his alleged affair with Mr. Trump, and Mr. Pecker asked Mr. Cohen to “buy” Daniels’ silence about the affair. They are said to have contacted each other.
Trump, escorted by his lawyer Todd Blanche (right), arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court for his trial on charges of concealing hush money payments related to an affair in New York City on April 22, 2024. Former president. (Angela Weiss/Pool, via Reuters)
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said last year that “during the campaign, Trump and others engaged in a ‘catch-and-kill’ scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him to improve his election chances.” ” was adopted,” he claimed. “Trump then did everything in his power to cover up this conduct, causing dozens of false entries to be made in his business records to conceal criminal conduct, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws.” .”
A “catch and kill” scheme is understood as a tactic used by media outlets and publishers to purchase the rights to an individual’s articles with no intention of publishing them.
Prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and fraudulently recorded the payments as legal costs. Prosecutors are working to prove that Trump falsified records with the intent to commit or conceal a second crime, which is a felony.
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The lawsuit alleges that Trump paid $30,000 to a doorman at Trump Tower, who he claimed had fathered a child out of wedlock, and paid $150,000 through a tabloid publisher to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claimed Trump had given birth to a child out of wedlock. Two other payments will also be featured, including a $10,000 payment. She had an affair with Trump and sold her story to the tabloids. President Trump also vehemently denied these allegations.
A courtroom sketch depicts the third day of former President Trump’s criminal trial on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Manhattan Criminal Court. (Kristin Cornell)
Trump arrived at the Manhattan courthouse on Monday morning after 12 jurors and six alternates were seated and sworn in as jurors last week.
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Judge Juan Melchán read the rules and instructions to jurors on Monday, stating that juries must operate fairly, that the defense team does not have to prove Trump’s innocence, and that the 45th president must also testify. I explained that there was no such thing. Marchan reiterated to jurors that he could not discuss the incident with anyone, adding that he could not visit the location where the crime allegedly occurred or investigate the incident.
Former President Trump appears for the first day of his trial in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday, April 22, 2024, in New York City. (Victor J. Blue/Washington Post, via AP, Pool)
In a brief address to the media early Monday morning, President Trump denounced the incident as a “Biden” trial “designed to undermine the worst president in our nation’s history.”
“Nothing like this has ever happened before” in lower Manhattan, he said. ”This is political persecution. …This is an incident that should never have happened. ”
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Trump added: “This is an attack on America, and that’s why I’m so proud to be here.” “This is truly an attack on a political opponent.”
