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Trump Legal Investigations / Re: Live Thread: Trump's hush money trial begins in NYC
« Last post by 240B on Today at 02:50:03 am »A recap from the swill before Pecker's testimony begins in the AM.
Pecker testimony reveals backroom deals that helped Trump win 2016
BY ELLA LEE - 04/24/24 6:00 AM ET
NEW YORK — The sordid details of shady backroom dealings spilled out in open court Tuesday when ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker confessed his magazine used “checkbook journalism” to pay off sources with unsavory stories about Donald Trump.
The longtime executive admitted to a judge and a jury that his job was to “catch and kill” bad press centered on Trump, including allegations of affairs and children born out of wedlock.
As the Manhattan district attorney’s lead witness, Pecker’s testimony bolstered the theory at the heart of the state’s case — that Trump and his allies attempted to influence the outcome of the 2016 election by burying bad news about Trump while elevating wild claims that were embarrassing to his political opponents.
That alleged conspiracy underpins the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records Trump faces in connection with one of the hush money deals. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges.
And there’s more to come. Pecker is again expected to take the stand Thursday when the trial will next be held.
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https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4616522-pecker-testimony-trump-2016/
However, under cross-examination, Pecker’s revelations seemed to unravel the narrative that had been carefully constructed by the prosecution. Pecker testified that it was not Trump, but he and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen who were primarily concerned about potentially harmful stories due to Trump’s celebrity status and history with women.
https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/report-alvin-braggs-key-witness-was-a-massive-flop-mace/