Trump Responds to Main ‘Hush Money’ Trial Witness’s Claims
The previous president commented on former Nationwide Enquirer writer David Pecker, the witness.
Former President Donald Trump praised the primary witness in his New York Metropolis “hush cash” trial, former Nationwide Enquirer writer David Pecker, as he’s scheduled to ship extra testimony within the case on Friday.
“He’s been very good. David’s been very good. He’s a pleasant man,” President Trump stated on Thursday, responding to a query about Mr. Pecker’s testimony over the previous week or so.
Throughout cross-examinations Thursday, Mr. Pecker detailed how he obtained doubtlessly damaging tales concerning the candidate and paid out tens of 1000’s of {dollars} to maintain them from the general public eye. However when it got here to the seamy claims by grownup performer Stormy Daniels, whose actual identify is Stephanie Clifford, the previous Nationwide Enquirer writer stated he put his foot down.
“I’m not paying for this story,” he advised jurors Thursday at President Trump’s trial, recounting his model of a dialog with President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen about makes an attempt to suppress allegations that prosecutors declare amounted to election interference within the 2016 marketing campaign. Mr. Pecker stated that he remembers saying he “didn’t wish to be concerned on this.”
President Trump has maintained he isn’t responsible of any of the fees, and says the tales that had been purchased and squelched had been false. “There isn’t any case right here. That is only a political witch hunt,” he stated earlier than court docket briefly feedback to reporters on Thursday.
Ms. Daniels was ultimately paid by Mr. Cohen to not discuss her declare of a 2006 sexual encounter with President Trump. The ex-president denies it occurred, whereas his attorneys have stated that she is utilizing the claims to earn a living and bolster her fame.
Though he didn’t purchase her story, Mr. Pecker advised Mr. Cohen that somebody ought to make a transfer to suppress the claims from going public.
“I stated to Michael, ‘My suggestion to you is that you can purchase the story, and it’s best to take it off the market as a result of if you happen to don’t and it will get out, I consider the boss will probably be very offended with you,’” he stated.
Later, Trump protection legal professional Emil Bove opened his cross-examination by asking Mr. Pecker about his recollection of particular dates and meanings. He gave the impression to be laying additional groundwork for the protection’s argument that any dealings President Trump had with the Nationwide Enquirer writer had been meant to guard himself, his popularity, and his household, not his marketing campaign.
At one level on Thursday, Mr. Pecker stated that when he spoke to President Trump concerning the former president reimbursing Mr. Cohen for paying Ms. Clifford, the previous president advised him that he had no thought what Mr. Pecker was referring to. He particularly testified that the previous president “had no thought what [he] was speaking about” when he requested about reimbursing Mr. Cohen.
He additionally stated that he bought the rights to former mannequin Karen McDougal’s story as properly however he stipulated that President Trump by no means advised him to buy that story—solely that he and Mr. Cohen had been involved concerning the McDougal story from rising.
A conviction by the jury wouldn’t preclude President Trump from turning into president once more, however as a result of it’s a state case, he wouldn’t have the ability to pardon himself if discovered responsible. The cost is punishable by as much as 4 years in jail, though it’s not clear if the decide would search to place him behind bars.
For the fees to be a felony, prosecutors must show their allegations that President Trump falsified enterprise information within the furtherance of one other crime. They’ve argued that the alleged falsification efforts had been tantamount to election interference.
However the former president and his attorneys have stated that they had been easy authorized bills. They’ve additionally forged the credibility of Mr. Cohen into doubt, noting that he frolicked in jail on fraud and different expenses, and have famous that he has at the moment made a profession out of criticizing President Trump within the media and on social media.
Mr. Cohen on Thursday wrote on X, previously often called Twitter, that he would cease commenting on the Trump trial.
“Regardless of not being the gagged defendant … I’ll stop posting something about Donald on my X account or on the Mea Culpa Podcast till after my trial testimony. See you all in a month (or extra),” he wrote.
On Friday morning, President Trump didn’t communicate to the media earlier than he entered the courtroom. Nonetheless, he wrote a Fact Social submit at round 9:20 a.m. criticizing the extent of safety on the Manhattan court docket.
“I’m on the closely guarded Courthouse. Safety is that of Fort Knox, all in order that MAGA will be unable to attend this trial, presided over by a extremely conflicted pawn of the Democrat Celebration. It’s a sight to behold! On the point of do my Courthouse presser. Two minutes!” he wrote. Earlier this week, he known as on his supporters to peacefully protest the trial in opposition to him.
The Related Press contributed to this report.