Former editor of ‘The National Enquirer’ tabloid claims he covered Trump’s other sex scandals

former editor The National Enquirer David Pecker has claimed that he met with Trump and Cohen in 2015 to plot how to cover up the magnate’s sex scandals before the 2016 campaign. He also confessed that he had helped improve the magnate’s image. “I must publish positive stories about Mr. Trump and negative stories about his opponents,” Pecker said during Tuesday’s session in a Manhattan courtroom.

The trial of the former president accused of embezzling payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence has begun the second week of preliminary allegations. After managing to appoint the 12 members of the jury — and six alternates — who must decide whether Trump is guilty, prosecutors have begun working to convince the jury that he is guilty of the 34 crimes charged against him. Magnets are to blame. To this end, this Tuesday the first witness presented by the prosecution, David Pecker, former editor of a North American tabloid, appeared.

Pecker also explained how he agreed to buy the publishing rights of Trump and Cohen along with two others. Work To prevent the tycoon from coming to light, such as his alleged affair with model Karen McDougall. This technique is known in the North American tabloid world as catch and kill And it turns out Pecker was a pro at it. Similarly, former editor of The National Enquirer He also admitted that he published yellow stories about Trump’s Republican rivals such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. He also attacked the image of then Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

In this conspiracy to improve and build Trump’s image before the elections, the tycoon’s now former lawyer Michael Cohen may have acted as an intermediary to arrange a meeting between the three individuals at Trump Tower. It was here that this plan was agreed upon.

Trump fined up to $10,000

On the other hand, before Pekar’s testimony, the prosecution also asked that the former President be fined for breaking the sanctions (gag order) An order barring witnesses, jurors and family members was issued by Judge Juan M. Merchan. In total, the fine will be approximately $10,000 ($1,000 for each violation of the rule). It would be a relatively small fine for the tycoon, considering he has paid up to $266 million in bail for his civil cases.

According to prosecutors, Trump has violated the law up to 10 times gag order, This behavior, as stated by the New York prosecutor, Christopher Conroy, could pose a “threat” to the trial, as witnesses have a “rightful fear” of becoming the target of the former president. Conroy referenced some posts made by Trump on his social network, Truth Social, in which he accused his former lawyer Michelle Cohen and actress Stormy Daniels of being “despicable”. (Sleazebags). Cohen and Daniels are expected to testify at trial in the coming days. Cohen was the one who arranged for Daniels to be paid $130,000 for Trump’s silence.

“Your disobedience to the ban is desired. This was intentional,” Conroy claimed in court, according to Reuters. Trump’s attacks have also been directed at the jury. On the same Friday night that the former President was targeting the jury, one of the members excused himself from his duty.

Trump’s defense attorney Todd Blanche has argued that the former president has not violated the ban because his social media posts are political in nature and, therefore, he has not violated the ban. gag order Because he was merely “responding to political attacks.” Thus, Blanch has assured that Trump is trying to comply with the ban, to which Judge Merchan responded: “He is losing all credibility before the Court.”

Trump continues to defend that this ban is against his right to freedom of speech, and after the lawsuit he published on his network, Truth Social: “Everyone has the right to talk and lie about me. Allowed, but I’m not allowed to defend myself. This is an unfair court (kangaroo court), And the judge should recuse himself.”

Judge Merchan has not yet issued a ruling on the prosecution’s request, although he is deeply skeptical of the arguments presented by the defense. Merchan decided to impose the ban after Trump began attacking his daughter Lorraine on social media.