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
Hours before court was set to begin today, #Trump made a campaign stop at a construction site in Manhattan, where he was asked about David #Pecker’s testimony & their relationship. “David’s been very nice," Trump said. "He’s a nice guy.”
(He was nice, but his testimony has been seriously damning to Trump)
Trump was also asked whether he would pay fines if Justice #Merchan found that he had violated the #GagOrder imposed on him by the court. “Oh, I have no idea,” he said.
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
In the middle of the 2016 presidential campaign, #Trump called David #Pecker, publisher of The National Enquirer. The candidate was seeking advice about a fmr #PlayboyModel who was trying to sell her story of an affair w/him, Pecker told jurors.
Pecker suggested a way to silence the model, #KarenMcDougal. “I think that the story should be purchased,” he said he told Trump. “And I believe that you should buy it.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Pecker says allegations about women & #Trump were always met by this response from #MichaelCohen, Trump's fmr fixer: "It's not true."
#Cohen, Pecker & #DylanHoward, the #NationalEnquirer editor who interviewed #KarenMcDougal, had a phone call after the interview. Howard said that McDougal claimed to have had an affair w/Trump. Cohen immediately denied the affair happened, but then said that he would look into it. Eventually, he said that a member of the group should try to buy the story.
Joshua #Steinglass, the prosecutor, is now asking #Pecker about a call he had w/ #Trump about #KarenMcDougal after #DylanHoward interviewed her. Steinglass is emphasizing Trump’s direct personal involvement.
Pecker testifies Trump described Karen McDougal as "a nice girl." Pecker said this conversation made him believe that Trump "knew who she was." Trump is stone-faced as Pecker talks about this conversation.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Pecker is now describing a follow-up conversation w/ #MichaelCohen in which he asked Cohen who would pay for KarenMcDougal's story. This was a central concern for Pecker. Cohen reassured him, telling him, "The boss will take care of it."
A recurring theme is the concern over who would pay for these Trump-related efforts. Pecker is now attesting to a key point prosecutors made in their opening statement, that #Trump was famously frugal.
#Pecker testifies that he knew #MichaelCohen "didn't have any authorization to disperse any funds from" the TrumpOrg. Even when the 2 went for lunch, Pecker says, Pecker always paid.
Pecker testifies that after negotiating w/ #KarenMcDougal, he again asked Cohen who would pay. Cohen - who previously said that #Trump would - this time said, "You should pay." Pecker was reluctant, having already purchased another story on Trump's behalf, but Cohen swore he would eventually be made whole by Trump.
Nonilex
Doug 🌈🇨🇦 