A former Playboy model at the center of Donald Trump’s sensational hush money trial said she didn’t want to be the “next Monica Lewinsky.”
As Trump watched from the defendant’s table, a Manhattan court also heard evidence that he had called Karen McDougal, the model, a “good girl.”
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush payments.
The alleged scheme involved the National Enquirer magazine, which carried out a “catch and kill” operation before the 2016 election, buying the rights to negative stories about Trump and then not publishing them.
That included the story of McDougal, who claimed to have had an affair with Trump between 2006 and 2007. He has denied having an affair.
Former US President Donald Trump (center), seated with lawyers Emil Bove (left) and Todd Blanche (right), attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, in the Criminal Court of Manhattan, New York City, on April 25. , 2024
Karen McDougal attends Playboy’s Super Saturday Night party at the Sagamore Hotel on February 6, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Monica Lewinsky attends the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California on March 10, 2024
Giving evidence, David Pecker, the former head of the National Enquirer, described how he had sent magazine executive Dylan Howard to California to interview McDougal in 2016, when his claims first emerged.
He said Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer and ‘fixer,’ ‘was constantly calling me while Dylan Howard was in this meeting interviewing Karen McDougal.’
Pecker later set up a three-way call with Howard and Cohen.
Howard said on the call that McDougal had turned down an offer of $10,000 for his story.
Pecker said: ‘Dylan mentioned that ABC was interested in acquiring the story. She also mentioned that a Mexican group bid on the story for $1 million.
‘Michael and I said we didn’t believe there was a Mexican group that was going to buy the story.
“ABC offer, they were offering Karen a spot on Dancing with the Stars.”
According to Pecker, Howard told them that McDougal did not want his story published.
“She didn’t want to be the next Monica Lewinsky. “She wanted to restart her career,” she said.
Lewinsky was a White House intern when it was at the center of a cheating scandal that rocked Bill Clinton’s presidency in the 1990s.
Donald Trump with former Playboy model and actress Karen McDougal
A photograph showing former White House intern Monica Lewinsky meeting with President Bill Clinton at a White House function presented as evidence in documents from the Starr investigation and released by the House Judiciary Committee on the 21st September 1998.
Karen McDougal, the former Playboy model who claims to have had an affair with Donald Trump
Pecker said McDougal was a fitness model and, instead of publishing her story, she wanted to launch an activewear line and write for celebrity magazines.
The editor said he later had a conversation with Trump in June 2016 in New Jersey.
“I was giving a presentation and update on our business,” he told the court. “The office assistant came into the conference room and said there was a call from him from Donald Trump. I went out and took the call.
“Mr. Trump told me, ‘I talked to Michael. Karen is a good girl. “Is it true that a Mexican group is looking to buy the story for $8 million?”
‘I said I don’t believe it at all. He said, ‘What do you think I should do?’ I said I think you should buy the story and take it off the market.
David Pecker, president and CEO of American Media, speaks at the Shape and Men’s Fitness Super Bowl party in New York City, USA, January 31, 2014
David Pecker is questioned during the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump accused of falsifying business records to hide money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, at Manhattan State Court in New York City, USA. , on April 23, 2024 in this courtroom sketch.
“I think when Mr. Trump said she was a good girl, I think he knew who she was.”
Pecker continued: ‘I believe this story was true. I think it would have been very embarrassing for him and also for his campaign.”
The tabloid boss said Cohen called him the next day and told him to buy the story. Pecker asked who would pay for it.
He said Cohen told him, ‘Don’t worry, I’m your friend, the boss will take care of it.’
When asked who the “boss” was, Pecker told the court: “Donald Trump.” “I would be reimbursed by the Trump Organization or Donald Trump.”
Adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, in New York City, New York, United States, April 16, 2018.
Pecker was asked if Cohen could have approved paying money for the settlement.
Pecker said: “I know that he (Cohen) did not have any authorization to distribute funds from the Trump Organization.” Every time he went out to lunch, I paid.
“I didn’t think I was authorized to spend money without Mr. Trump’s approval.”
As the deal progressed, he and Cohen spoke at least daily, and Cohen became “very agitated,” Pecker said.