Donald Trump returned on Thursday to his criminal trial in New York, where he had to attend the rest of the colorful and colorful testimony of the former tabloid boss, in his service in 2016 to “kill” possible scandals existence, including allegations of a relationship with a man. Playboy model.
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“We bought this story so it wouldn’t be published elsewhere. We didn’t want it to embarrass Mr. Trump or affect his 2016 presidential campaign, summed up this key witness, David Pecker, when he told why his agency had paid $150,000 to get the rights to this model, Karen McDougal.
This transaction was prepared in advance by Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who had reassured the tabloid press boss: “don’t worry, I’m your friend, the boss will take care of all that” , Mr. Pecker said. , specifying that the “leader” was none other than Donald Trump.
David Pecker also made sure that he had a conversation on the subject with the Republican billionaire, who was then a candidate for the 2016 presidential election.
On the third day of his testimony, the twelve jurors and the other six continued for several hours to listen religiously, some taking notes, to this septuagenarian who brought behind the scenes the conquest of the White House by his friend “Donald”.
Red tie on pale pink shirt, forehead drooping and white hair combed back, David Pecker, 72, also made sure Donald Trump thanked him, once he was elected, at a meeting at Trump Tower in in New York, asking about Karen McDougal, “how is our daughter?”
On Tuesday, this former head of the tabloid The National Enquirer had mentioned a meeting during the campaign, still at Trump Tower, where the plan was developed by Donald Trump and Michael Cohen. This method is known by the American expression “catch and kill”.
Eyes and ears
His testimony is crucial to prosecutors, who want to convict the Republican candidate of hiding in “legal fees” a payment of $130,000 to another woman who says she had a sexual relationship with him in 2006, the first one. porn star Stormy Daniels.
The money was paid just before the election in November 2016 which Mr. Trump almost won against Hillary Clinton, this time by Michael Cohen directly. Donald Trump denies any relationship with the actress.
Already convicted twice from 2023 by the civil justice of New York to hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, the Republican candidate is at risk in this case the first criminal conviction of the former President of the United States, a few months away from the November 5 presidential election where he dreams of revenge against Joe Biden.
Basic features for the prosecutors, who want to prove that there was a stratagem to cover up any scandal.
Donald Trump is indicted on 34 counts of falsifying accounting documents from his real estate agency, the Trump Organization, to hide payments to Stormy Daniels.
Donald Trump’s defense includes the legitimacy of the payments and denies any “conspiracy” to “circulate” the 2016 election.
Finally, a Manhattan court judge must also decide on possible sanctions against Donald Trump for contempt, due to his attacks on the Internet and social networks against witnesses and jurors.
The former president could be fined ($1,000 per criminal charge) and prosecutors asked to be reminded that imprisonment remains “an option if necessary.” “
2024-04-25 18:46:11
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