a minute ago
Why David Pecker bought doorman's phony story about Trump having illegitimate child
By Kyle Schnitzer

David Pecker said that he bought a doorman's phony story claiming Donald Trump had an illegitimate child because it would have been an embarrassment to Trump's 2016 presidential run.

"It would have been very embarrassing for the campaign," he said about the article getting out.

Pecker agreed to pay doorman, Dino Sajudin, $30,000 for exclusive rights to the story, Pecker testified.

He said that if he had purchased the story, it would have been the tabloids most popular story since Elvis Presley's death.

“If I thought it was true, it would have probably been the biggest sale of the National Enquirer since the death of Elvis Presley," Pecker said.

At one point, Michael Cohen offered that Trump would take a DNA test that would show he's not the father because Trump is German-Irish and not Hispanic like the woman in question. But Pecker said he assured him that would not be necessary.

"I said I believe it's a big story, and I believe it's important that it should be removed from the market," Pecker recalled of a convo with Cohen.

Cohen responded that “the boss will be very pleased,” Pecker says. He testified earlier that Cohen had referred to Trump as "the boss."

Pecker said that he later learned that the story was "100% not true."

19 minutes ago
Pecker says Trump introduced him to Steve Bannon, said the pair 'could work very well together'
By Kyle Schnitzer

David Pecker testified that Donald Trump introduced him to political adviser Steve Bannon, and that Trump claimed the pair "would get along really well."

"[Trump] said, 'You and Steven [Bannon] would get along really well,' " Pecker said about the meeting he had with Trump.

Pecker said Trump told him Bannon had complimented the National Enquirer on some of its stories about Trump's political opponents — which attacked then-presidential candidates — in a mutual agreement that would benefit Trump and the tabloid's sales.

"He liked them very much and he had some ideas," Pecker said Trump told him.

He added that Trump "said he thought all of us could work very well together."

Pecker told the court that he sent a box of magazines with negative headlines about Trump's foes to Bannon, which included stories about Hillary Clinton.

The publisher then said Bannon had suggested that the National Enquirer should send a reporter on "The Hannity Show" to discuss the articles live on the air.

Trump's attorneys objected to the prosecution's questioning, which resulted in a sidebar where Emil Bove slammed the line of queries as "eliciting hearsay arguments." Prosecutors then moved on from the Bannon questioning.

19 minutes ago

David Pecker testified that he called Donald Trump fixer Michael Cohen right after getting a tip about a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have knowledge of Trump having a secret love child with a maid.

Pecker said Enquirer editor Dylan Howard "came to me with a tip from a source" that Trump had had an "illegitimate girl" with a maid who "worked in Mr. Trump's house."

"I immediately called Michael Cohen and I described to him exactly what I was told by Dylan," Pecker said.

Pecker was asked how Cohen responded.

"'Absolutely not true, but I’ll check it out,'" Cohen said, according to Pecker.

Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
·
14m
David Pecker says Michael Cohen would call him after 2016 Republican presidential debates. Based on the success candidates had, Cohen would direct him and Enquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard on which candidate to target next in the magazine.