David Pecker to be first witness in Trump's hush money trial: New York Times
Magazine publisher David Pecker is slated to be the first witness in former President Trump’s criminal hush money trial, The New York Times reported Sunday, setting the stage as the first criminal trial of a former president gets underway Monday.
The case against Trump centers on payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, with prosecutors claiming the former president illegally covered up the payments in the days before the 2016 election, attempting to silence stories of an alleged past affair.
Pecker, then the publisher of the National Enquirer, admitted to running a “catch-and-kill” scheme in order to help Trump get elected in 2016. The scheme consists of the unethical practice of paying sources not to tell negative stories about a subject, in this case Trump.
Pecker’s media company paid $150,000 to actress Karen McDougal, who similarly claimed an affair with Trump, at about the same time as the Daniels payments. The company then intentionally suppressed McDougal’s story until after the election.
Citing a person familiar with prosecutors’ planned arguments, the Times reported that Pecker’s testimony is expected to center on his conversations with Trump about the hush money payments.
Other notable witnesses in the case that are expected to be called include former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen, who made the payments to Daniels, Daniels herself and aide Hope Hicks, among others.
It is unknown if the former president will take the stand in his defense.
Trump has denounced the case as a politically minded distraction from the 2024 election. He has pleaded not guilty to counts of falsifying business records.
The trial is expected to last about six weeks.
Date: | |
Tag: | New York |
Filter
-
Hope Hicks breaks down chaos of Trump's 2016 campaign during hush money trial
Former President Trump’s ex-political adviser Hope Hicks testified for hours Friday in his hush money trial in Manhattan where she detailed the chaos that enveloped his 2016 campaign. Hicks, once a close confidant of Trump’s including when he ran ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
Evening Report — Hope Hicks takes witness stand in hush money trial
Hope Hicks takes the witness stand in Trump's hush money trail {beacon} Evening Report © AP Hope Hicks takes witness stand in hush money trial Hope Hicks, a former top aide and close confidante of former President Trump, took the stand ...The Hill - Politics
More from The Hill
-
How much time is left before Rafah invasion?
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} ou Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story How much time is left before the Rafah invasion? Reports emerged Friday that the Israeli military told the Biden ...The Hill - Politics -
Stormy seas pause construction of Gaza pier, Pentagon says
The U.S. military had to pause its project of building a pier off the coast of Gaza to deliver humanitarian due to bad weather, the Pentagon said Friday. U.S. Central Command officials “temporarily paused offshore assembly of the floating pier” ...The Hill - Politics -
Hope Hicks offers dramatic testimony in Trump trial: 5 takeaways
Former President Trump’s trial closed out the week in dramatic style as former aide Hope Hicks took the stand. Hicks, who served as press secretary in the early, ramshackle days of Trump’s first campaign for the presidency, went on to become his ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
International court pushes back on 'threats' as it weighs Israel-Hamas arrests
The International Criminal Court (ICC) pushed back against “threats” Friday as it faces intense pressure following reports of possible arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas officials over their conduct in the Oct. 7 attack and war in Gaza that has ...The Hill - Politics - Israel -
Biden adds carveout to EV credit restrictions
Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter {beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story Biden issues flexible guidance for EV components The Biden administration granted leeway for qualifying for electric vehicle ...The Hill - Politics - Joe Biden