4 weeks ago
Former National Enquirer patient David Pecker is expected to proceed testifying Thursday successful Donald Trump's New York criminal trial, his 3rd time connected nan stand.
Court is group to reconvene astatine 9:30 a.m. to resume proceedings and will overlap pinch different important ineligible improvement for nan erstwhile president. The Supreme Court is group to perceive arguments complete whether Trump should beryllium immune from national prosecution successful nan lawsuit brought by typical counsel Jack Smith. The judge overseeing nan proceedings denied Trump's petition to be nan arguments successful nan capital.
In his testimony connected Tuesday, nan astir caller time of nan trial, Pecker described his efforts to usage nan National Enquirer to hide antagonistic stories astir Trump and onslaught his rivals during nan 2016 statesmanlike campaign. Pecker was nan main executive of nan Enquirer's genitor company, a domiciled he held until 2020.
Pecker testified that he agreed to beryllium Trump's "eyes and ears" successful 2015 and alert Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen, to damaging stories that mightiness wounded nan campaign. Cohen is now an ardent professional of Trump, and is expected to beryllium prosecutors' cardinal witnesser against him.
David Pecker answers questions from prosecutors Joshua Steinglass successful erstwhile President Donald Trump's proceedings successful New York connected Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
Jane Rosenberg
Pecker described a maneuver called "catch and kill" that he utilized to bargain nan authorities to stories astir Trump, without publishing them, efficaciously keeping them hidden.
His grounds is expected to proceed done much, if not all, of nan day's proceedings Thursday.
Prosecutors allege a $130,000 "hush money" payment Cohen made to nan big movie prima Stormy Daniels successful nan days earlier nan predetermination was tied to nan "catch and kill" scheme. Trump has pleaded not blameworthy to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements to Cohen. He has accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of pursuing nan lawsuit for governmental gain.
Judge Juan Merchan whitethorn besides norm Thursday connected a mobility by prosecutors seeking to clasp Trump successful contempt for a bid of societal media and run posts they opportunity violated a gag order successful nan case.
The bid limits what Trump tin opportunity publically astir galore of those progressive successful nan case, including witnesses for illustration Cohen and Daniels.
Merchan held a contentious proceeding connected nan mobility Tuesday. Prosecutors person asked him to enforce a $1,000 good for each station and bid Trump to return them down.
"His attacks connected witnesses intelligibly break nan order, willfully and flagrantly. The tribunal should now clasp him successful contempt for each of nan 10 posts," charismatic Chris Conroy said. "No 1 is disconnected limits to nan defendant. He tin onslaught and activity to intimidate anyone he wants to successful work to himself."
Todd Blanche, an lawyer for Trump, based on that his customer was responding to governmental attacks successful his posts, and did not judge he was violating nan bid erstwhile reposting aliases quoting others. The judge seemed unpersuaded, but did not make a ruling immediately.
"Mr. Blanche, you're losing each credibility. I person to show you that correct now. You're losing each credibility pinch nan court," Merchan said astatine 1 point.
