TRUMP HUSH MONEY TRIAL: Former National Enquirer Publisher Testifies About Scheme

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified on Tuesday in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, revealing shocking details about his involvement with the former president’s 2016 presidential campaign. Pecker offered to be the “eyes and ears” of Trump’s campaign, leading to an agreement to provide Trump’s personal lawyer with advance notice of negative stories that could harm Trump’s political aspirations.

Pecker elaborated on this agreement, stating that the tabloid ran negative stories about Trump’s political opponents and even paid for a doorman’s silence after he made allegations that Trump had fathered a child. The trial, which resumed after a morning hearing on alleged gag order violations, saw Pecker as the only witness to take the stand.

Prosecutors have accused Trump, Pecker, and Michael Cohen of working together on a “catch-and-kill” strategy to buy and bury negative stories. Among the allegations is a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels to silence her claim of an extramarital encounter with Trump in 2006.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. This trial marks the first criminal trial of a former American president and the first of four prosecutions of Trump to reach a jury.

The courtroom drama continued as White House spokesperson Andrew Bates made a sly reference to the trial, and the jury was sent home for the day for the Passover holiday. Internal National Enquirer emails and invoices were entered into evidence, shedding light on the tabloid’s practices.

Pecker testified about his friendship with Trump and his interactions with the former president over the years. He detailed how he would run negative articles on Trump’s opponents at Cohen’s request and how the tabloid ran a poll about a potential Trump presidential bid.

The trial also saw a disturbance in the overflow courtroom, leading to a man being taken into custody by court officers. Trump’s lawyer argued that the former president did not willfully violate the gag order, while prosecutors accused Trump of violating it again with comments about Michael Cohen.

As the trial continues, the question remains: what will happen if Trump is convicted? The opening statements offered a clear picture of Trump’s defense, with his attorney arguing that he did nothing illegal. Prosecutors, however, made history with their opening statements, accusing Trump of a hush money scheme to influence the 2016 election.

The courtroom drama is far from over, with Judge Juan M. Merchan set to decide on whether Trump violated the gag order and what penalties he may face. The trial will adjourn early for Passover, and the prosecution’s case against Trump will continue to unfold in the coming days.