A New York University law professor believes David Pecker, former editor of the National Enquirer, will provide “dynamiting evidence” against Donald Trump when he takes the stand Monday morning.
It was revealed over the weekend in a New York Times report that Pecker would be the first witness called against the former president during his historic trial in Manhattan over accusations that he participated in a scheme to maintain silence before the 2016 election.
“Pecker could be a key witness, in more devastating ways than Michael Cohen. This also indicates that the DA is bringing the illegal electoral influence of jurors to the forefront,” tweeted Professor Ron Goodman.
“Pecker’s testimony should be compelling evidence of the fundamental allegation that the hush money scheme was intended to influence the outcome of the presidential election,” he added.
A 12-person jury in Manhattan will hear opening statements from prosecutors and defense attorneys in the first of four criminal cases against the presumptive Republican nominee that will go to trial.
The depositions are expected to give jurors and the voting public the clearest view yet of the allegations at the center of the case, as well as insight into Trump’s expected defense.
Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial in New York will feature a colorful cast of witnesses
David Pecker, editor of the National Enquirer tabloid, is expected to be the prosecution’s first witness Monday morning.
A New York University law professor believes Pecker will be able to offer even more damning testimony than Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen.
Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 and that Trump’s former lawyer Cohen paid her $130,000 for her silence.
Twelve jurors were seated in Trump’s hush money trial at the end of the third day.
The lawyers will also feature a colorful cast of characters expected to testify about the made-for-tabloid saga, including a porn actor who says he had a sexual encounter with Trump and the lawyer who prosecutors say paid him to keep quiet about the incident. regard.
Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and could face four years in prison if convicted, although it is unclear whether the judge would seek to put him behind bars.
A conviction would not prevent Trump from being president again, but since this is a state case, he would not be able to try to pardon himself if he is found guilty. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
In 2018, reported the Wall Street Journal that Pecker attended a meeting at Trump Tower in August 2015 where Trump asked him, ‘What can you do to help my campaign?’
The indictment says Pecker agreed to help the campaign by becoming “eyes and ears,” keeping an eye out for any negative stories about Trump.
Pecker is striking a deal with Michael Cohen to buy any negative stories and never publish them.
Pecker will also likely be asked about his involvement in the campaign after the release of the infamous Access Hollywood tape.
In December 2016, Cohen asked Pecker to pressure Trump to pay him back for buying the Stormy Daniels story, according to the indictment. Something Trump was reluctant to do.
Trump has denied meeting Daniels and has said the payment was personal and not related to the campaign.
‘David Pecker’s likely dynamite evidence of the nexus between the hush money scheme and the effort to influence the election includes: “In the summer of 2017, the defendant invited the CEO of AMI to the White House for a dinner to thank you for your help during the campaign.” “reads a section of the indictment.
The trial, taking place as Trump competes to win back the White House, will require him to spend his days in court rather than on the campaign trail.
You will have to listen to witnesses recount salacious and potentially unflattering details about your private life.
Still, Trump has tried to turn his status as a criminal defendant into an asset for his campaign, raising funds from his legal risk and repeatedly criticizing a justice system that he has claimed for years is armed against him.
The case is heard by a jury that includes, among others, several attorneys, a sales professional, an investment banker, and an English professor.
The case will test jurors’ ability to set aside any bias, but also Trump’s ability to comply with court restrictions, such as a gag order prohibiting him from attacking witnesses. Prosecutors are seeking fines against them for alleged violations of that order.
Prosecutors say Trump concealed the true nature of payments made to Stormy Daniels in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.
Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.
To convict Trump of a felony, prosecutors must show that he not only falsified or caused business records to be falsely entered, which would be a misdemeanor, but that he did so to conceal another crime.
The indictments do not accuse Trump of egregious abuse of power like the federal case in Washington that accused him of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election, or of disobeying national security protocols like the federal case in Florida that accused him of hoarding classified documents.
But the New York prosecutor’s office has taken on added importance because it may be the only one of the four cases against Trump to go to trial before the November election. Appeals and legal disputes have delayed the other three cases.