Live Thread: Trump's hush money trial begins in NYC

[mystery-ak]

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.

[catfish1957]

I've been calling it the Stone-Pecker slime machine since '16.  Hmmm.  It's going to be very interesting if we find out that Tumpy was more intricately involved in it, instead of hiring them as paid monkey operatives at the onset. 

Well, not that this Orange POS' reputation could be any further sullied. 

[Cyber Liberty]

Is any of this Pecker stuff relevant to the case of Trump having a NDA with this person?  Is this just an attempt to rehabilitate Cohen in advance of his testimony?

[catfish1957]

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.

Just more proof that Trump, the candidate was nothing more of a result of well placed strategic sliming than being a (faux) conservative  voice to the GOP.  We've pretty much understood how sleazy Trump was, but now we are getting proof of how actually bad he was.

[deb]

I've been calling it the Stone-Pecker slime machine since '16.  Hmmm.  It's going to be very interesting if we find out that Tumpy was more intricately involved in it, instead of hiring them as paid monkey operatives at the onset. 

Well, not that this Orange POS' reputation could be any further sullied.

"He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas"

Trump needs a better class of friends.

[catfish1957]

Is any of this Pecker stuff relevant to the case of Trump having a NDA with this person?  Is this just an attempt to rehabilitate Cohen in advance of his testimony?

It isn't, but OTOH, it is tearing off the bandaid of some rehashing soe lingering anger some of us conservatives have had towards this orange trojan horse.

[mystery-ak]

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.

[mystery-ak]

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."

[mystery-ak]

Done for the day

[Right_in_Virginia]

Laura was great at deflecting rumors that the 2020 Election was stolen, especially in Arizona.  I didn't watch her for three years because of that.

I don't watch her, either.  Occasionally I'll stumble over her on my X feed.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Travis Media Group
@TMGPolitics

JUST IN:  David Pecker just testified that Trump was a very good man, and the first one to congratulate him on his successes.  He’s not saying that Trump, Cohen, and him hatched a plan to bury any negative stories about Trump. 

According to Pecker, if he heard anything about women telling stories, he’d notify Mr. Cohen.  He informed Trump he’d be his “eyes and ears.”

12:13 PM · Apr 23, 2024

[mystery-ak]

9 minutes ago
Trump worried that story about him paying hush money to Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal would 'get out,' Pecker says
By Ben Kochman

Court ended for the day with David Pecker on the stand testifying about the National Enquirer's plan to "catch and kill" a story from Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal about a year-long affair she says she had with Donald Trump.

Pecker said he mostly dealt with Trump's then-fixer Michael Cohen, but that Trump called him about McDougal while Pecker was meeting with an Enquirer investor in New Jersey.

Pecker wanted to buy the story on Trump's behalf to bar McDougal from going public, but Trump initially feared that the truth would later emerge, Pecker said.

"He said, 'I don’t buy any stories. Any time you do anything like this, it always gets out,'" Pecker testified.

Pecker, Cohen and Trump later worked together to pay McDougal $150,000 to silence her -- in a payment that is now a key component of Trump's criminal trial, prosecutors say.

[mystery-ak]

9 minutes ago
Court ends for day, in recess until Thursday morning
By Ben Kochman

With David Pecker still on the stand, court is now off until Thursday morning at 9:30.

We're off every Wednesday while Justice Juan Merchan deals with the other cases on his docket.

[catfish1957]

Travis Media Group
@TMGPolitics

JUST IN:  David Pecker just testified that Trump was a very good man, and the first one to congratulate him on his successes.  He’s not saying that Trump, Cohen, and him hatched a plan to bury any negative stories about Trump. 

According to Pecker, if he heard anything about women telling stories, he’d notify Mr. Cohen.  He informed Trump he’d be his “eyes and ears.”

12:13 PM · Apr 23, 2024

After today's testimony it seems Trump was a lot more involved in the Stone-Pecker slime machine, than just hiring them as operatives.  After what these turds did to Cruz, Carson, et. al. ....   If you agree that Trump is a "Very Good Man", then that says a whole hell of a lot about you. And it a'int good.

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1782833546312200572

[Right_in_Virginia]

Raheem.
@RaheemKassam

This ⬇️

Pecker effectively testified today that he and Cohen drummed up this scheme, without Trump's instruction.

Not a good day for Alvin Bragg and Joe Biden!!!

Travis Media Group
@TMGPolitics

JUST IN:  David Pecker just testified that he’s the one who told Trump women might come to him with stories, because Trump was such a popular bachelor who dated the most beautiful women. 

Apparently Trump was just planning a campaign run, but Pecker and Cohen were the ones worried about women coming forward. 

Does the prosecution realize they just made themselves look ridiculous?  Their key witness just said Trump didn’t even come up with any of this.

12:18 PM · Apr 23, 2024

2:05 PM · Apr 23, 2024

[Hoodat]

5 minutes ago
Some negative stories about Ben Carson, Ted Cruz shown to jurors
By Kyle Schnitzer

Jurors are now being shown some of the National Enquirer's attacks on Ben Carson and Ted Cruz during the 2016 presidential campaign.

One negative story attacked Carson on Oct. 7, 2015, with the headline, "Bungling Surgeon Ben Carson Left sponge in patient’s brain!"

Two critical Cruz headlines were, "Ted Cruz Shame By Porn Star," published on Feb. 12, 2016, and "Boozin' Ted Cruz Fixin' to Lose," published on Feb. 19, 2016.

David Pecker said he would speak to Michael Cohen, then Trump's attorney, who would comment on them and adjust the stories if they needed tinkering.

"We would send him PDFs of the story before it was published to show him the direction the story was going," Pecker said about his correspondence with Cohen at the time.

He added that Cohen "would comment on them."

"We would add content... based on the information Michael Cohen shared," Pecker said.

How is any of this relevant to the charges pending in this case?

[Hoodat]

19 minutes ago
DA wants judge to fine Trump $10,000 but not jail him — though he's 'angling for that'
By Ben Kochman and Kyle Schnitzer

The Manhattan DA's Office is urging Justice Juan Merchan to fine Donald Trump $10,000 for the 10 alleged gag order breaches.

Prosecutor Chris Conroy argued that the court should also force Trump to remove eight posts from Truth Social and two from his campaign website that take aim at the jury and at expected trial witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.

Trump should simply say that he gave his Truth Social password over to Don Jr. or Barron, and that the posts came from them.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Bad Hombre
@joma_gc

Trump uses his thumbs to go through papers.

Pecker drinks water, from a glass.

This is CNN.



2:25 PM · Apr 23, 2024

[Right_in_Virginia]

President Trump: "The gag order is totally unconstitutional. Can’t even allow articles to be put in." (Video)

https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1782836942452744198

[Right_in_Virginia]

After today's testimony it seems Trump was a lot more involved in the Stone-Pecker slime machine, than just hiring them as operatives.

@catfish1957

Raheem.
@RaheemKassam

This ⬇️

Pecker effectively testified today that he and Cohen drummed up this scheme, without Trump's instruction.

Not a good day for Alvin Bragg and Joe Biden!!!

Travis Media Group
@TMGPolitics

JUST IN:  David Pecker just testified that he’s the one who told Trump women might come to him with stories, because Trump was such a popular bachelor who dated the most beautiful women. 

Apparently Trump was just planning a campaign run, but Pecker and Cohen were the ones worried about women coming forward. 

Does the prosecution realize they just made themselves look ridiculous?  Their key witness just said Trump didn’t even come up with any of this.

12:18 PM · Apr 23, 2024

2:05 PM · Apr 23, 2024

[Cyber Liberty]

Just more proof that Trump, the candidate was nothing more of a result of well placed strategic sliming than being a (faux) conservative  voice to the GOP.  We've pretty much understood how sleazy Trump was, but now we are getting proof of how actually bad he was.

The Prosecution is on their first witness, I need a little more information before I declare Trump to be a crook.

[Cyber Liberty]

I don't watch her, either.  Occasionally I'll stumble over her on my X feed.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"🚨People flood the streets of NYC  for Trump" (Video)

https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1782857157219680764

[mystery-ak]

Judge Juan Merchan’s ‘Manifestly Unfair’ Gag Order on Trump Comes Under Serious Legal Scrutiny

New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan could fine former President Donald Trump up to $11,000 for violating a gag order that his legal team argues prevents him from defending himself publicly in a case where a Democrat district attorney is seeking to put him in jail.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/23/judge-juan-merchans-manifestly-unfair-gag-order-trump-comes-under-serious-legal-scrutiny/

[Right_in_Virginia]

"Current and former world leaders are making their way to Trump Tower each week the President is being held prisoner in NYC for the Democrat’s show trial. Here’s the former PM of Japan. Last week it was the President of Poland." (Video)

https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1782899162377249207

[catfish1957]

The Prosecution is on their first witness, I need a little more information before I declare Trump to be a crook.

My contention is not as much a legal one, but just more proof and an example of where back in '16 Trump's sleazy dirty politics was taken to new lows.  He crossed lines, and to this day, not only are we not holding him account to it, but instead are rewarding him with his 3rd consecutive GOP nomination.

His only slight out was that the Stone-Pecker slime machine though obviously funded by DJT, at least had a rogue element to it.  But hearing today, it seems the orange menace might have had a more direct and intricate hand in it.   We've had some fine conservatives taken to near ruination (RDS, Cruz) by this POS' antics.

I think he needs to pay.

[DB]

My contention is not as much a legal one, but just more proof and an example of where back in '16 Trump's sleazy dirty politics was taken to new lows.  He crossed lines, and to this day, not only are we not holding him account to it, but instead are rewarding him with his 3rd consecutive GOP nomination.

His only slight out was that the Stone-Pecker slime machine though obviously funded by DJT, at least had a rogue element to it.  But hearing today, it seems the orange menace might have had a more direct and intricate hand in it.   We've had some fine conservatives taken to near ruination (RDS, Cruz) by this POS' antics.

I think he needs to pay.

Totally agree.

[DB]

In short, purposely telling lies to destroy someone is evil. I want nothing to do with those sorts of people. I will not vote for them, I will not associate with them. They are toxic.

[Right_in_Virginia]

We've had some fine conservatives taken to near ruination (RDS, Cruz) by this POS' antics.

I think he needs to pay.

For what?

[DB]

For what?

Lies.

[Right_in_Virginia]

In short, purposely telling lies to destroy someone is evil. I want nothing to do with those sorts of people. I will not vote for them, I will not associate with them. They are toxic.

[libertybele]

In short, purposely telling lies to destroy someone is evil. I want nothing to do with those sorts of people. I will not vote for them, I will not associate with them. They are toxic.

Amen!!!!   

[Hoodat]

The Prosecution is on their first witness, I need a little more information before I declare Trump to be a crook.

I would first have to know of a crime that was committed.  So far, nada.

[Hoodat]

My contention is not as much a legal one, but just more proof and an example of where back in '16 Trump's sleazy dirty politics was taken to new lows.  He crossed lines, and to this day, not only are we not holding him account to it, but instead are rewarding him with his 3rd consecutive GOP nomination.

His only slight out was that the Stone-Pecker slime machine though obviously funded by DJT, at least had a rogue element to it.  But hearing today, it seems the orange menace might have had a more direct and intricate hand in it.   We've had some fine conservatives taken to near ruination (RDS, Cruz) by this POS' antics.

I think he needs to pay.

I agree 100%.  There has been zero remorse.  Zero admission.  Zero apology.  Not only from Trump, but from his zealots as well as evidenced on this very thread.  But this trial isn't the arena for settling the score.  One does not excuse the other.  The ends do not justify the means.

I hope Trump is found not guilty, not because I'm an #AlwaysTrumper, but because he is not guilty of what he is being prosecuted for.  As for him paying, the only ones who will be paying are Conservatives who will be saddled with four more years of Democrat-lite and another $8 trillion of new debt.

[Hoodat]

@Right_in_Virginia

Where is the example of 'virtue signaling'?  Please show the exact quote.  Or is this yet another example of you posting the first dishonest thing that pops up in your head?

[corbe]

[DB]

I agree 100%.  There has been zero remorse.  Zero admission.  Zero apology.  Not only from Trump, but from his zealots as well as evidenced on this very thread.  But this trial isn't the arena for settling the score.  One does not excuse the other.  The ends do not justify the means.

I hope Trump is found not guilty, not because I'm an #AlwaysTrumper, but because he is not guilty of what he is being prosecuted for.  As for him paying, the only ones who will be paying are Conservatives who will be saddled with four more years of Democrat-lite and another $8 trillion of new debt.

I fully agree with that too.

[DCPatriot]

@Right_in_Virginia

Where is the example of 'virtue signaling'?  Please show the exact quote.  Or is this yet another example of you posting the first dishonest thing that pops up in your head?

The entire post was a "virtue signal".  Use the word "I" three times in succession.

I want nothing to do with those sorts of people. I will not vote for them, I will not associate with them.

[Hoodat]

The entire post was a "virtue signal".  Use the word "I" three times in succession.

I stand corrected.  Thanks.  And an apology to @Right_in_Virginia .  Somehow, I missed it.  My mind was tracking something else.

[roamer_1]

My contention is not as much a legal one, but just more proof and an example of where back in '16 Trump's sleazy dirty politics was taken to new lows.  He crossed lines, and to this day, not only are we not holding him account to it, but instead are rewarding him with his 3rd consecutive GOP nomination.

His only slight out was that the Stone-Pecker slime machine though obviously funded by DJT, at least had a rogue element to it.  But hearing today, it seems the orange menace might have had a more direct and intricate hand in it.   We've had some fine conservatives taken to near ruination (RDS, Cruz) by this POS' antics.

I think he needs to pay.

BIG YUP. And certainly not rewarded.

[roamer_1]

In short, purposely telling lies to destroy someone is evil. I want nothing to do with those sorts of people. I will not vote for them, I will not associate with them. They are toxic.

That's right.

[roamer_1]

The entire post was a "virtue signal".  Use the word "I" three times in succession.

Unless of course, it's actual virtue.

[240B]

Well, regardless of the bogus charges, or the bogus judge, or the bogus jurors, I HOPE TRUMP IS EXECUTED THEN BURNED AT THE STAKE THEN TORTURED! AND THEN FED TO PIGS! TRUMP IS SATAN ON EARTH! F**K THE 'LAW'! F**K THE CONSTITUTION! F**K NORMAL HUMAN CONSCIENCE!

BURN THE WITCH!!!

[Hoodat]

BURN THE WITCH!!!

Did you dress her up like that?

[DB]

The entire post was a "virtue signal".  Use the word "I" three times in succession.

Says the man who defends lying to destroy people.

And the irony of you accusing me of "whatever it takes" to take someone down is doing exactly that.

[DCPatriot]

Says the man who defends lying to destroy people.

And the irony of you accusing me of "whatever it takes" to take someone down is doing exactly that.

LOL!  All I did in my post was to point out the "virtue signal" questioned. 

And that's the the end of the discussion @DB

[240B]

[roamer_1]

Says the man who defends lying to destroy people.

And the irony of you accusing me of "whatever it takes" to take someone down is doing exactly that.

'Virtue signal' is a typical liberal bullshit term used as a foil against any moral position. Pay it no mind.

Where I come from you have to draw hard lines.

[240B]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sglyFwTjfDU