Ex-Tabloid Head Claims “Wanted To Protect Trump” During Hush Money Trial

Washington: On Thursday, a key witness in Donald Trump’s criminal trial described how he collaborated with the former president’s personal attorney to discredit a Playboy model’s account of having sex with the Republican.
On the third day of evidence in Trump’s criminal trial, prosecutors are claiming that he fabricated company documents to pay adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about a 2006 sexual encounter that may have ruined his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election.

He is the first former head of state from the US to be charged with a crime. Less than seven months before his anticipated rematch with President Joe Biden in the election, Trump is required by the high-stakes trial to go before the dingy Manhattan courtroom many times a week.

According to the prosecution, Trump participated in “election fraud” on election night of 2016 by arranging for his personal attorney at the time, Michael Cohen, to pay Daniels $130,000.

The most recent evidence from 72-year-old David Pecker, the former tabloid publisher of the National Enquirer, suggests that the Daniels scandal began with a hush money payment made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

“I wanted to protect my company, I wanted to protect myself, and I wanted to protect Donald Trump,” Pecker casually stated to the jury, making it apparent that his interactions with the candidate and his attorney were intended to sway the outcome of the presidential race, which saw the brash real estate tycoon defeat Hillary Clinton.

“The boss”

In an honest explanation, the genial Pecker disclosed how payments totaling $150,000 were made in order to “catch and kill” McDougal’s narrative and prevent it from being published. He referred to this as a “large purchase” in comparison to the amounts his organization would typically spend for material.

He said that in order to avoid breaking campaign financing regulations, payments to McDougal were covered up as services to American Media, the tabloid’s parent firm.

“We purchased the story so it would not be published by any other organization,” Pecker told the jury. “We didn’t want the story to embarrass Mr. Trump or hurt his campaign.”

He said that Cohen had persuaded him to buy the article and that when he inquired about payment terms, Cohen had responded, “The boss will take care of it.”

Pecker said that in addition to cash, McDougal’s magazine covers and potential to write fitness columns were assured under the agreement.

In the end, however, McDougal’s narrative was revealed to jurors in a Wall Street Journal scoop four days before to the election.

Pecker said that when Trump called, he was “very upset.”

Pecker remembered Trump asking him, “How could this happen, I thought you had this under control,” before hanging up without saying goodbye.

Regarding stifling Daniels’s account of her sex with Trump—a narrative that revolves on the hush money payment—Pecker expressed reluctance to finance an additional account.

Pecker said, “I’m not a bank,” adding that he didn’t want his supermarket-sold periodical to be connected to a porn star.

The executive recommended to Cohen that he cover the cost instead, and according to the prosecution, the former Trump fixer did so by sending money from his own home equity line of credit via a dummy firm.

Accusations of contempt

As the trial goes on and he is forced to sit quietly in front of the bright fluorescent lights of the courtroom as Pecker and the prosecution recount his alleged wrongdoings, Trump has come to seem more and more irate, even furious.

Additionally, he saw Judge Juan Merchan chastise Todd Blanche, the primary attorney for the former president, after the Republican’s defense attorney blundered last week in response to prosecutors’ request to find Trump in contempt of court.

They claim that Trump has often disregarded a partial gag order that prevents him from criticizing juries, witnesses, and court employees in public.

Merchan heard arguments on Tuesday on the charge but did not make a decision right away since he may change his mind at any time.

Daniels—whose actual name is Stephanie Clifford—as well as Cohen are anticipated to testify for the prosecution throughout the trial.

Using Truth Social, Trump has targeted them on many occasions, referring to them as “sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our country dearly.”