Trump Responses To Main 'Hush Money' Trial Witness’s Claims

Authorized by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times,

Former president Donald Trump praised the first witness in his fresh York City “hush money” trial, erstwhile National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, as he is scheduled to deliver more investigating in the case on Friday.

“He’s been very nice. David’s been very nice. He’s a good guy,’ President Trump said on Thursday, responding to a question about Mr. Pecker’s evidence over the past week or so.

During cross-examinations Thursday, Mr. Pecker details how he possessed powerfully Damaging stories about the candidate and payment out tens of thinands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.

But erstwhile it came to the seamy claims by adult performer Stormy Daniels, which is real name Stephanie Clifford, the erstwhile National Enquirer publisher said he put his ft down.

“I am not paying for this story,” he told judges Thursday at president Trump’s trial, recounting his version of a conversation with president Trump’s erstwhile lawyer Michael Cohen about challenges to suppress allegations that prosecutors claim elevated to election interference in the 2016 campaign. Mr. Pecker said that he remembers saying he “didn’t want to be active in this.”

President Trump has mastered he is not a guide of any of the Charges, and says the stories that we were bought and squelched were false.

“There is no case here. This is just a political witch hunt,’ he said before court in briefing comments to reporters on Thursday.

Ms. Daniels was eternally paid by Mr. Cohen to not talk about her claim of a 2006 sexual encounter with president Trump. The ex-president denies it happens, while his lawyers have said that she is utilizing the claims to make money andbolster her name.

Although he did not buy her story, Mr. Pecker told Mr. Cohen that individual should make a decision to suppress the claims from going public.

“I said to Michael, ‘My proposition to you is that you should buy the story, and you should take it off the marketplace due to the fact that if you don’t and it gets out, I believe the boss will be very angry with you,’ He said.

Later, Trump defence lawyer Emil Bove opened his cross-examination by asking Mr. Pecker about his recollection of circumstantial dates and means. He appeared to be laying further groundwork for the defence’s argument that any dealings president Trump had with the National Enquirer publisher were intent to defend himself, his reputation, and his family, not his campaign.

At 1 point on Thursday, Mr. Pecker said that erstwhile he spoke to president Trump about the erstwhile president reimbursing Mr. Cohen for paying Ms. Clifford, the erstwhile president told him that he had no thought what Mr. Pecker was referring to it. He specifically tested that the erstwhile president “had no thought what [he] was talking about” erstwhile he asked about reimbursing Mr. Cohen.

He besides said that he purchased the rights to erstwhile model Karen McDougal’s communicative as well but he stipulated that president Trump never told him to acquisition that story- Only that he and Mr. Cohen were afraid about the McDougal communicative from Emerging.

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen hosts at the territory attorney’s office to complete his testingimony before a grand jury in fresh York City on March 15, 2023. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images)

A convention by the jury would not specify president Trump from being president again, but due to the fact that it is simply a state case, he would not be able to pardon himself if found culture. The charge is punishable by up to 4 years in prison, allough it’s not clear if the justice would see to put him behind bars.

For the Charges to be a felony, prosecutors gotta prove their claims that president Trump false business records in the future of another crime. They have argued that the alleged forgery efforts were tantamount to election interference.

But the erstwhile president and his lawyers have said that they were simply legal expenses. They have besides cast the credibility of Mr. Cohen into double, noting that he spent time in prison on fraud and another charges, and have noted that he has presently made a career out of critical president Trump in the media and on social media.

Mr. Cohen on Thursday gate on X, formally known as Twitter, that he would halt commenting on the Trump trial.

“Despite not being the gagged suspect ... I will release posting anything about Donald on my X account or on the Mea Culpa Podcast until after my trial testimony. See you all in a period (or more),” he gates.

On Friday morning, president Trump did not talk to the media before he entered the court. However, he gate a fact Social post at around 9:20 a.m. critticizing the level of safety at the Manhattan court.

“I’m at the dense guarded Courthouse. safety is that of Fort Knox, all so that MAGA will not be able to attend this trial, presided over by a highly conflicted paw of the Democracy Party. It's a gap to behold! Getting ready to my Courthouse presser. 2 minutes!” he gates.

Earlier this week, he called on his supporters to peaceful protest the trial against him.