Third witness puts Trump's financial web in spotlight
With Madeline Halpert, Kayla Epstein and Nada Tawfik reporting from court in New York
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With Madeline Halpert, Kayla Epstein and Nada Tawfik reporting from court in New York
Live Reporting
Edited by Tiffany Wertheimer and Phil McCausland
All times stated are UK
Pecker says he was told 'the boss will take care of' cash for Playboy model
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
David Pecker is detailing a phone call with Donald Trump about buying Karen McDougal's story.
Trump, in Pecker's recollection, asked about a rumour that a "Mexican group" was looking to buy the story for $8m. Pecker told him he didn't think that was accurate.
But Pecker tells the court that he did believe McDougal's story of an affair with Trump was true.
(Trump has denied her claims).
So he advised Trump on that call that they should buy the story to prevent it from being published elsewhere to avoid "embarrassing" Trump.
After the call, Michael Cohen reached out to Pecker to say that AMI should buy McDougal's story.
"Who is gonna pay for it?" Pecker recalls asking Cohen.
According to the ex-publisher, Cohen told him, "Don’t worry, I’m your friend, the boss will take care of it."
Pecker explains efforts to pay Playboy model hush-money
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
We're back where we left off on Tuesday, with David Pecker explaining how he, Donald Trump and Michael Cohen allegedly tried to buy off Playboy model Karen McDougal.
McDougal claims she had an affair with Trump, Trump denies the affair ever happened.
Pecker tells the court that Trump's former lawyer, Cohen, offered McDougal $10,000 for her story. But she initially refused.
McDougal said initially she did not want to go forward with the story because she did not want to become "the next Monica Lewinsky", according to Pecker.
Although the hush-money payment to McDougal is not a part of this case, prosecutors are trying to set the stage and show the broader context of Trump's behaviour during that era.
Who is David Pecker?
David Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc (AMI), and he was the publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid magazine.
He told the court in Tuesday's testimony that he helped supress negative stories about Donald Trump as the 2016 election loomed in a scheme known in media circles as "catch-and-kill".
Pecker explained how he would buy the rights to stories that cast Trump in a bad light. He would then decline to publish them, which effectively stop the damaging information. Pecker called it an "agreement between friends".
Pecker told the court of one example, where a doorman who claimed Trump fathered a love child with a housekeeper was paid $30,000 to sell his story to the magazine.
Even though it turned out to be "1,000% untrue", Pecker said the doorman was paid to keep the potentially damaging story out of rival publications.
Pecker's testimony set to resume
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
David Pecker, a former tabloid magazine publisher, is back at the stand and the 12 members of the jury are once again seated in the courtroom.
They look engaged as they pull out notebooks to record information from Pecker's testimony.
Trump's lawyer whispers in his ear
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
I can see Donald Trump clearly on the screen we watch inside the court's media overflow room, and he looks stern as prosecutor Christoper Conroy reads out quotes from the former president's hallway press conferences - like the one we just heard a few minutes ago.
The District Attorney's office allege these statements violate the gag order which was put in place to prevent Trump from attacking potential witnesses, jurors and court staff.
At one point, lawyer Todd Blanche whispers into Trump's ear as Conroy begins his argument.
Prosecutors say Trump violated his gag order again
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
Court is now in session and we're beginning with a dispute about whether certain documents can be used.
Justice Juan Merchan asks if the argument can wait until later so the court can bring the jury in.
Things then pivot to a familiar topic for this trial, Trump's gag order.
Prosecutors now claim Trump has violated the order again.
They've already accused him of 10 violations.
Some of the new alleged violations are from his speeches right outside the courtroom, and a statement when he claimed the jury is "95% Democrats".
Court is about to start
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
Donald Trump has just entered the courtroom alongside his legal team.
He is wearing a blue suit as per usual, and has a stern expression on his face as he strolls into the room.
He will now pose for his daily photos for the press.
And then court will begin for the day.
Trump talks politics before heading to court
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
Donald Trump just spoke to media in the hallway outside the courtroom.
Most days in this trial, he has used this moment to attack the credibility of the case against him.
But today his focus is on politics.
Trump talks at length about the economy and the news this morning that the US economy grew at 1.6% in the first quarter, lower than many expected. He says "it's getting worse" and blames president Joe Biden.
He also talks about gas prices in California, protests at college campuses, and union workers.
There is a mention of the Supreme Court case today that his lawyers are fighting in Washington DC, which focuses on presidential immunity.
And finally, Trump speaks about his New York trial. He calls it a "witch hunt", a phrase he has used frequently for his multiple legal battles.
Lawyers arrive
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
Prosecutors have just walked into the courtroom carrying two large boxes of files.
There are at least five people with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office today, taking their seats in the front row of the room.
Donald Trump and his team should be here soon.
Two big cases, but Trump can only be at one
Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court
We’ll have a legal split-screen today as Trump’s hush-money trial and the landmark US Supreme Court hearing on presidential immunity play out in tandem.
In New York, criminal defendants usually have to be in court for the whole trial, unless a judge grants them an exception (or they get thrown out for disorderly conduct).
Earlier in the hush-money trial, Trump’s lawyers asked if he could be excused from court today so that he could be in Washington, DC for the US Supreme Court hearing.
Justice Juan Merchan denied the request. At an impromptu campaign stop in Manhattan this morning, Trump assailed the judge for not granting him leave.
“We have a big case today,” Trump said in reference to the presidential immunity case.
“The judge isn’t allowing me to go.”
And a reminder that you can follow live coverage from the Supreme Court here.
Where is Trump?
Donald Trump is now on his way to court in lower Manhattan.
Earlier today he met with local union workers, shaking hands and chatting about his presidential campaign.
Good morning from Manhattan Criminal Court.
Madeline Halpert
Reporting from court
I'm sitting in the courtroom today where Donald Trump is expected to arrive in an hour or so.
We'll be picking up where we left off on Tuesday, with testimony from tabloid publisher David Pecker.
Pecker has already told the court about a "catch-and-kill" scheme that he, Trump and Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen used to supress negative stories about the former president before the 2016 election.
Sitting behind me are several members of the public, including a campaign finance lawyer, and another woman who says she is here because "this is the most interesting thing going on" today.
Donald Trump's hush-money trial resumes
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York.
The court doesn’t sit on Wednesdays, so we still have some unfinished business from Tuesday to get through.
The first witness of the historic trial is David Pecker, the former publisher of tabloid magazine the National Enquirer. He is part-way through his testimony, so we expect Pecker to be back on the stand this morning to continue.
The judge could also rule on if Trump has broken a gag order which was put in place to protect witnesses and court staff from verbal attacks. Prosecutors say Trump's social media posts have violated this order 10 times, but Trump says he was defending himself from political attacks.
And while this all bubbles away in New York, there's another Trump case happening in Washington DC at the Supreme Court.
Lawyers for Trump and Special Counsel Jack Smith will square off in a hearing on whether former presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution for actions they take while in office.
We are following that case live here.