Live updates: David Pecker testifies in Trump hush money trial – The Independent

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Former president’s historic election interference trial is underway in New York City
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Donald Trump returned to court for the latest instalment of his New York hush money trial this morning, where the jury heard further testimony from a former tabloid mogul who detailed the “catch-and-kill” scheme at the heart of the case.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified about his agreement with his “mentor” Mr Trump and ex-attorney Michael Cohen to suppress stories about the defendant’s alleged affairs.
After Mr Pecker’s cross-examination by defence lawyer Emil Bove, during redirect questioning by the prosecution, the witness doubled down on his testimony that he bought and silenced the story of Playboy model Karen McDougal’s affair with Mr Trump to influence the 2016 election.
Justice Juan Merchan is yet to rule on whether Mr Trump should be held in contempt and fined $10,000 for allegedly violating a trial gag order by posting about witnesses and jurors on Truth Social.
In other legal news, Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments concerning Mr Trump’s “presidential immunity” defence against prosecution in federal cases, and the former president had his latest efforts to overturn the E Jean Carroll defamation verdict against him dismissed.
Alex Woodward is providing live updates from the courthouse in Manhattan.
In a live radio interview this morning, President Joe Biden said he would be “happy” to debate former president and current criminal defendant Donald Trump as part of the 2024 presidential election campaign.
Mr Trump couldn’t let that go and — much like when he says he will testify in his trials — accused the president of not really meaning it.
While Mr Biden has the actual presidential debates in mind that traditionally come in the fall, the former president began suggesting evenings next week, and even tonight at the courthouse — not sure those optics would work in Mr Trump’s favour….
Here’s what he wrote on Truth Social:
Crooked Joe Biden just announced that he’s willing to debate! Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, an old expression used by Fighters. I suggest Monday Evening, Tuesday Evening, or Wednesday Evening at my Rally in Michigan, a State that he is in the process of destroying with his E.V. Mandate. In the alternative, he’s in New York City today, although probably doesn’t know it, and so am I, stuck in one of the many Court cases that he instigated as ELECTION INTERFERENCE AGAINST A POLITICAL OPPONENT – A CONTINUING WITCH HUNT! It’s the only way he thinks he can win. In fact, let’s do the Debate at the Courthouse tonight – on National Television, I’ll wait around!
There is no evidence that President Joe Biden has in any way orchestrated any of the civil or criminal indictments against Mr Trump. The federal cases were handed off to Special Counsel Jack Smith by the Department of Justice to avoid any possible influence by the administration. The state and local cases are beyond the remit of the federal government. All four criminal cases were presented to grand juries of US citizens who recommended that charges be brought.
Courtesy of MSNBC:
The jury has been excused for lunch.
Steinglass has half an hour to go on redirect. Bove wants to re-cross Pecker.
Todd Blanche also asks for the name of the next witness.
The judge will come back to that after lunch.
Steinglass: “Had you published a story about a Playboy model having a yearlong sexual affair while he was married … would that have sold magazines? … That would be like, National Enquirer gold. … At the time you entered into that agreement, you had zero intention of publishing that story. … You killed the story because it helped candidate Donald Trump.”
Pecker: “Yes.”
Steinglass hammers home the main point the prosecution is trying to make and mentions prior AMI plans to suppress coverage in other stories.
“In this case, did you suppress stories to help a presidential candidate?”
“Yes.”
Steinglass also points out that Pecker and AMI didn’t make similar arrangements with other political candidates to write certain stories, which Pecker admits was done in coordination with the campaign.
Pecker, revisiting the Trump Tower meeting: “It was my understanding, I would use the company sources … for any information that would be coming out on Mr Trump or the campaign, related to — specifically — women, who would be selling their stories, similar to what I experienced with Schwarzenegger … My understanding is those stories would come up, I would speak to Michael Cohen, I would tell him that these stories are going to be for sale, and someone else would buy them if we don’t. … That was my understanding of that meeting.”
Pecker admits that the August 5 2016 contract does not mention Trump reimbursing him, Cohen, the plan to reassign life rights to Trump, nor the arrangement at Trump Tower.
“Does the contract even mention the word campaign?” Steinglass asks. (No, it does not.)
Pecker confirms that the “true purpose” of the McDougal contract with to acquire the life rights of her story, and that the other parts of the agreement – columns, cover appearances, blog posts, ghostwriters, etc. – gave the deal “plausible deniability”.
Pecker: “It was included in the contract basically as a disguise of what the actual purpose of it … The actual purpose of it was to acquire the lifetime rights … It would be published by American Media. It would not be published by any media source.”
Bove asks about Pecker’s testimony that Cohen was trying to get access to boxes with materials about Trump, out of concern that he would leave AMI. Bove suggests it’s because of his “job application” with Time.
Pecker clarifies that in 2016, AMI was “looking to acquire all of Time.” He wasn’t applying for a job there.
Pecker also confirms that the contents of those boxes was worthless.
Bove wraps up, with a reminder in the form of a question about Pecker’s obligation to the truth, and that jurors will be the judge of that.
Pecker: “I’ve been truthful to the best of my recollection.”
That’s it for Bove.
Redirect from prosecutor Joshua Steinglass.
President Joe Biden on Friday said he will participate in televised debates with his likely opponent, former president Donald Trump, before the 5 November presidential election.
Mr Biden said he’d debate Mr Trump during an hour-long, wide-ranging interview with Sirius-XM radio host Howard Stern after Stern asked him whether he’d do so.
Andrew Feinberg reports:
Mr Biden had previously hedged on debating his indicted opponent
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Former U.S. President Donald Trump exits Trump Tower to attend his hush money criminal trial on 26 April 2024
REUTERS
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