Search
Items tagged with: criminal
On his 3rd day of testimony, #Pecker, the fmr #NationalEnquirer publisher, described his involvement in the #CatchAndKill of the stories of 2 women who claimed to have had sex w/ #Trump: #KarenMcDougal, a Playboy model, & #StormyDaniels, the porn star whose 2016 #HushMoney payoff forms the basis of the #criminal case.
#Pecker testified that as part of the #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #AMI paid #KarenMcDougal $150k for her story, w/no intention of ever publishing it.
Pecker expected repayment from #Trump. He asked #MichaelCohen who would handle it, & Cohen responded, “The boss will take care of it.”
Because Pecker had such a hard time getting Trump to pay, he was unwilling to buy the 3rd story: #StormyDaniels’s.
“I am not a bank,” Pecker recalled saying.
#Pecker suggested that #MichaelCohen buy #StormyDaniels's story, leading to the #HushMoney deal, repayments & records at issue.
The prosecution’s discussion of the deal w/ #KarenMcDougal —brokered in summer 2016— demonstrated that the payment was part of a #conspiracy to #influence that year’s #election.
Pecker said that McDougal’s payment was disguised as a contract for services, to avoid violating #CampaignFinance #laws.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference #CatchAndKill
The Trump Tower meeting also included #JamesComey, then the #FBI dir, #ReincePriebus, who was chair of the RNC, #SeanSpicer the WH press sec & #MikePompeo the dir of the CIA.
Totally normal.
At that meeting #Pecker reassured #Trump that everything was fine.
Trump then told the group that Pecker probably “knows more than anyone else in this room.”
“It was a joke,” Pecker testified, adding, “They didn’t laugh.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Pecker said on Tues he had agreed to be the “eyes & ears” of the #TrumpCampaign & used #AMI to deal w/threats to #Trump’s reputation.
After the #AccessHollywood tape came out in Oct 2016, where Trump’s boasts about groping women, one of Pecker’s editors scrubbed an AMI publication’s website of a 2008 article describing Trump as a “playboy man.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
Despite that, #Trump often made his displeasure known, #Pecker testified, either through #MichaelCohen or direct calls. Pecker described Trump as “very angry” & “very aggravated.”
Pecker said, “I felt that Donald Trump was my mentor,” Pecker said, adding, “I still consider him a friend.”
Trump’s lawyers, led by Emil Bove, started their #CrossExamination trying to show that such deals were “standard operating procedure” in the supermarket #tabloid business.
That offered the first look at defense’s strategy: normalizing #criminal acts.
The #CrossExamination also showed the seedier side of #tabloids, incl’g the admission that #Pecker’s magazines bought stories as leverage against #celebrities.
Pecker described a 2002 meeting in which #ArnoldSchwarzenegger asked Pecker not to run negative stories about him before his run for governor of California. He was elected & served 2003-2011.
#NationalEnquirer fmr publisher David #Pecker’s testimony is expected to conclude today. He’s already spent 3 days on the stand.
#Trump, addressing reporters before entering the courtroom, wished his wife, #Melania, a happy birthday on camera. Then entered the courtroom where he’s on trial for falsifying records to silence 2 women about having extramarital affairs w/him to hide it not from her but from his evangelical Christian electorate. JFC
#Trump is back w/ his criminally indicted adviser #BorisEpshteyn.
Justice Juan #Merchan is on the bench & announces a scheduling clarification, saying that another hearing to determine whether Trump violated his #GagOrder will be held next Thurs morning. We are still waiting for the outcome of Tuesday’s hearing on the gag order, in which prosecutors asked that Trump be held in #contempt & fined at least $10k.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #NodFarter
#Pecker is back & takes the stand.
The jury is seated & one of the defense lawyers, Emil Bove, resumes his #CrossExamination. #Bove apologizes for making it seem yesterday as if Pecker had lied in a conversation w/ federal prosecutors about whether #HopeHicks had been present for a meeting in #Trump Tower.
Prosecutors have described the meeting, which occurred in 2015, as central to the #conspiracy at the heart of this case.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference
FYI
Yesterday, prosecutors asked #Pecker to walk through his non-prosecution agreement in connection w/the 2018 federal investigation into the actions of #MichaelCohen & #NationalEnquirer’s parent company #AMI.
#Merchan told the jury that it was offered to provide context & to help them assess Pecker's credibility. He added that it wasn’t evidence of #Trump's guilt.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Bove leading the #CrossExamination of #Pecker, is trying to drive home the idea that The #NationalEnquirer recycled news from other publications. It is seemingly an effort by Bove to show that Pecker wasn't moving mountains to find damaging info about Trump's Republican opponents during the 2016 presidential race.
#Trump is sitting at the defense table w/ his eyes shut as Pecker testifies.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter
#Bove spent a fair amount of time reviewing articles that he said had recycled content in them. But he didn't fully explain how this was standard practice for The #NationalEnquirer, & he has now moved on to another topic. It was somewhat difficult to follow what exactly it was that Bove was trying to imply.
Bove is currently arguing that it was fairly well-known, if not widely spoken about, that The NE was trying to help #Trump during his 2016 campaign.
However when one of the negative stories about #TedCruz came out in 2016 #Trump said:
"I did not know about it, & have not, as yet, read it. Likewise, I have nothing to do w/ the #NationalEnquirer & unlike Lyin' Ted Cruz I do not surround myself w/ political hacks & henchman & then pretend total innocence."
The suggestion by Trump’s lawyer that what #Pecker did for Trump was #SOP is belied by ~20yrs of Pecker helping him.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference
#Bove is asking #Pecker about #Dino Sajudin, the #doorman w/a story to sell about #Trump fathering a child out of wedlock. Sajudin was at the heart of the 1st #CatchAndKill deal, in which The NE purchased the story & did not publish it. Bove asks Pecker to repeat that he believed that if the story were true, “it could be the biggest #NationalEnquirer article ever.” Bove appears to be trying to suggest that Pecker would have published it had he been able to verify it.
Even though #Pecker knew the story was false, he paid $30k for it. He previously testified that he thought it would have been an embarrassment to the #TrumpCampaign. But #Bove is trying to get Pecker to agree that he instead paid for the story to avoid losing it to another publication.
Aside - Even when #Trump tried to run for president in 2012, Pecker advanced his #birther #conspiracy against Barack #Obama.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
Prosecutors repeatedly object to defense’s use of “President Trump” to refer to a meeting in June 2016, pointing out that #Trump wasn’t president at that point. Justice #Merchan sustains.
#Bove keeps jumping between topics during his #CrossExamination of #Pecker. Trump seemed engaged yesterday when this line of questioning began, today he’s more lethargic — sitting slumped in his chair, & he just tried to disguise a yawn.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #NodFarter
#Bove is making an important point right now about an agreement that The #NationalEnquirer made w/ #KarenMcDougal, the fmr Playboy model whose story about an affair w/ #Trump the tabloid purchased & sought to bury. Prosecutors had tried to suggest that the agreement - which included a number of different benefits for McDougal - was made to disguise a $150k #HushMoney payment.
Bove is pointing out that McDougal actually did receive the benefits of the agreement.
#Bove tries to emphasize that #KarenMcDougal's primary focus was not cash, but the desire to restart her career.
#Pecker gets confused for a moment, but eventually agrees that McDougal was focused on her career. This is not an earth-shattering point, but, if the jury is able to follow it, it helps pick away at the prosecution's argument about this agreement.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Bove's point is that #AMI, The #NationalEnquirer's parent company, did print health columns by #KarenMcDougal - ghostwritten by others - & put her on magazine covers, not in The NE but in its lifestyle publications.
But after executing the deal in Aug, the company did none of that until well after WSJ reporters revealed the existence of the deal in Oct 2016.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
When #Pecker wanted to put #KarenMcDougal on the cover of Men's Journal, she refused to cooperate, so they used an old image. His staff believed Pecker did that to make the case that their deal was legit.
#Bove presses Pecker about telling #MichaelCohen the agreement w/McDougal was "bulletproof."
Pecker was trying to please 2 conflicting parties: #Trump, who wanted the story buried, & his own lawyers, who were concerned that the deal w/ McDougal could be illegal.
#Pecker doesn't want to say that he was being misleading, but #Bove is hitting on a contradiction: Either Pecker misled #MichaelCohen, or the legal agreement was in fact "bulletproof" & thus not unlawful.
- of course it doesn’t really matter because the charges have nothing to do w/the McDougal agreement, it’s discussion is purely background.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Bove raises the Jan 6, 2017 meeting that took place in #Trump’s office at TrumpTower w/ #JamesComey, then the #FBI dir, #MikePompeo, soon to be the #CIA dir, #ReincePriebus, soon to be the #WhiteHouse chief of staff, & #SeanSpicer, soon to be the WH press sec.
Bove asks #Pecker about how #Comey & Trump later had a contentious relationship. Prosecutors object, & Bove asks for a sidebar. Justice #Merchan sustains the objection.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference #conspiracy
#Bove’s voice got very sharp as he asked #Pecker about whether Pecker had made an error yesterday when he said #Trump thanked him for his #CatchAndKill of the doorman’s story. “Was that another mistake?” the lawyer asked, loudly. “Do you believe that President Trump said that to you as you sit here right now?”
Bove reminds Pecker that it’s a crime to lie under oath.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
The jury & judge are back in the courtroom after midmorning break, David #Pecker is on the stand & his #CrossExamination is now resuming.
#Bove is back on cross, #Blanche, another defense lawyer, sits in Bove’s empty seat. Blanche seems intent on flanking #Trump as much as possible.
(Maybe to prod him awake before he starts to drool)
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #NodFarter
#CrossExamination resumes
#Bove asks #Pecker's about his meetings w/prosecutors.
Pecker says they were not "stressful," as #Trump's lawyer suggests, he says he wanted it to be over - who wouldn’t?
The defense presents #AMl's non-prosecution agreement w/SDNY.
Bove suggests AMI was having financial issues at the time - were discussions w/the Hudson News Group to acquire the #NationalEnquirer.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Bove asks, “You knew that to consummate that deal, you had to finalize the investigations, correct?”
#Pecker admits that put some pressure on the negotiations, but says, “From the tabloid's standpoint, that would have added on to the stress of the transaction.” He doesn’t say it put personal pressure on him.
Pecker says, “There was no drop dead date, that it had to be completed by a certain time.”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
But #Pecker clarifies that what his lawyer said in 2019 was simply that he had never offered to buy those stories on #Trump’s behalf. As Pecker reminds us, he instead offered to serve as Trump’s eyes & ears, looking out for negative stories.
Several times now #Bove has tried to catch Pecker in a lie. But Pecker is not going along w/it, he is repeatedly disagreeing w/Bove & fighting back against the attacks. It’s hurting defense more than helping.
#Bove concludes cross, asking Pecker about his obligations in cooperating w/the prosecution at this trial.
#Pecker says, “I’ve been truthful to the best of my recollection.”
Asst DA #Steinglass begins his redirect.
Steinglass asks about #KarenMcDougal's contract & Pecker's testimony that its "true purpose" was to #CatchAndKill her story.
Pecker agrees w/that the purpose of the provisions about McDougal's career was to establish "plausible deniability."
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
#Steinglass shows #Pecker the provision of #AMI's non-prosecution agreement that reads:
"AMI's principal purpose into entering into the agreement was to suppress the model's story so as to prevent it from influencing the election."
Pecker agrees it was true.
Steinglass asks Pecker about a plan to sign over #KarenMcDougal's life rights to #MichaelCohen (it was abandoned)
Exhibit from yesterday detailing the original plan:
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference
#Steinglass, the prosecutor, uses defense atty #Bove’s repetition of the phrase “standard operating procedure” against him, as he points out all the parts of the agreement w/ #KarenMcDougal that were not standard. Pecker agrees w/ Steinglass throughout as he asks him these questions, hurting the defense's argument.
Redirect gives Pecker the opportunity to clarify testimony muddled under cross-examination.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Steinglass asks #Pecker about the overlap between #NationalEnquirer's readership & #Trump's political base.
“All that base loved reading positive stories about Donald Trump. And when he announced his presidency, going from The Apprentice to running for the president of the United States, our sales increased. Newsstand sales increased,”Pecker says.
Steinglass sums it up as follows, “Running stories about Mr. Trump appealed to your readership.”
Court breaking for lunch till 2:15 PM US ET
#Pecker will be back on the stand when court resumes.
Before leaving, Todd #Blanche, one of Trump's attys, asked Justice #Merchan to direct prosecutors to say who the next #witness would be. One of the prosecutors responded that Susan Necheles, another #Trump lawyer, already knew. Trump leaned over & asked Necheles, “Who is it?” She seems to have responded because he said, “Ah.” Then he got up.
Back from break.
#CrossExamination resumes
#Steinglass asks if #Pecker considers #NationalEnquirer's circulation to include everyone who looks at covers while waiting in supermarket checkout lines.
#Pecker doesn’t.
Steinglass shows Pecker a section of a Nov 4, 2016 WSJ article which reads:
"Quashing stories that way is known in the tabloid world as 'catch and kill.’”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference
#TrumpTrial Day 4 🧵 starts here.
Yesterday came to an abrupt end when the dishwasher leaked all over the floor. It’s fixed now, but what a mess.
Linus, Ramone & I are all doing well.
Yesterday’s 🧵 start:
https://masto.ai/@Nonilex/112332007257451711
#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder
Start of #TrumpTrial testimony day3 (I’m not counting jury selection or off days) 🧵#Tabloid Publisher #DavidPecker to Resume Testimony
#Pecker, the longtime publisher of The #NationalEnquirer, is expected to return to the stand & describe the #HushMoney deal w/ #StormyDaniels at the heart of the case, in which #Trump is charged w/ 34 #felonies.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #FakeNews #ElectionInterference
As #Trump’s motorcade arrived at court just before 9 a.m., a group of a few dozen people demonstrating against him blocked traffic. They stretched a banner across Centre Street that read “No One Is Above the Law.” They sang out, “Trump is not above the law.” Police monitored, & the demonstration was orderly.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
Prosecutors submitted what they said are an additional 4X #Trump has violated the #GagOrder, including an attack on MichaelCohen while speaking to reporters gathered in the hallway outside the courtroom.
Those reporters are there so that Trump, who claims he's denied his constitutional right to speak to them, can do so. Another violation prosecutors mentioned is an interview on #RightWing radio in which Trump referred to the jury as "95% Democrats."
"He's doing what the order tells him not to do," Christopher #Conroy, a prosecutor, about #Trump's alleged additional violations of the #GagOrder.
They described Trump's comments at an event this morning as another violation.
Trump was asked by reporters about David #Pecker's testimony, & Trump called Pecker
"a nice guy." Prosecutors say it was a message to Pecker & others: be "nice," or get attacked. (yeah I don’t know about that one)
As #Conroy, laid out the #GagOrder violations, #Trump whispered to his lawyer Todd Blanche & frowned.
After they spoke, #Blanche rubbed his face several times.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
The 12 jurors & 6 alternates were seated & David #Pecker resumed his testimony about #KarenMcDougal, a fmr Playboy model who said that she had a sexual relationship w/ #Trump. Prosecutors had saved the specifics of McDougal's story for today. It's an attention-catching way to start & the jurors are listening closely in these opening moments.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
