Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker returned to the stand for a fourth day, as Trump’s defense attorney Emil Bove continued a rigorous cross-examination aimed at undermining Pecker’s credibility and distancing the former president from the controversial hush money payments.
Pecker, who has been a key witness in the trial surrounding Donald Trump’s involvement in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, maintained under oath that he wanted no part in the Enquirer’s story about Daniels. He also confirmed that he did not consider her story to be part of any agreement he had in August of 2015. His testimony indicates an awareness of the potential legal ramifications of making payments related to a major presidential candidate in the 2016 campaign.
The cross-examination brought out a number of key points, where Bove focused on Pecker’s memory and past actions to cast doubt on the reliability of his account. Bove pointed out that AMI, the Enquirer’s parent company, entered into numerous agreements with sources before Pecker joined the firm, suggesting that the tabloid stood to profit handsomely off the stories it purchased.
During the questioning, Bove emphasized that Pecker and Michael Cohen, Trump’s ex-lawyer, were close and that Pecker was well aware that Cohen was not well regarded even among his own business associates. This line of inquiry appears to aim at demonstrating that any arrangements with McDougal and Daniels may not have been directly connected to Trump.
The jurors remained attentive, indicating the importance of Pecker’s testimony to the case. They were observed taking notes and paying close attention to the exchanges between Pecker and Bove.
Furthermore, the defense tried to paint a broader picture of AMI’s business model, suggesting that the company often purchased stories to suppress them and that it was a standard practice not unusual to Trump’s case. Pecker agreed that AMI could have made a substantial profit if certain stories, like an unverified claim about Trump fathering a child with a Trump Tower maid, had been true.
Trump, present in the courtroom, was seen sitting back with closed eyes during some of the proceedings, as his legal team and supporters, including aide Boris Epshteyn, attended for a second consecutive day. Meanwhile, outside the courtroom, Trump praised his team’s performance in the trial and repeated his criticism of the case against him as “rigged,” also commenting on Supreme Court arguments over his immunity claim in the federal election subversion case.
Relevant articles:
– Trump v. United States: Can presidents get away with anything?, brookings.edu, 04/26/2024
– Trump trial live updates: Pecker says arrangement supporting Trump wasn’t unusual, ABC News, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:56:14 GMT
– Live updates David Pecker returns to stand for cross-examination in Trump’s hush money trial, The Washington Post, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:10:17 GMT
– Trump trial live updates: Ex-tabloid publisher David Pecker grilled by defense, NBC News, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:30:46 GMT
– Live updates: David Pecker testifies in Trump hush money trial, CNN, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 13:55:00 GMT