Ex-'National Enquirer' Publisher David Pecker Set to Testify First at Trump Trial
Source: Daily Beast
Updated Apr. 21, 2024 3:44PM EDT / Published Apr. 21, 2024 3:40PM EDT
Former publishing executive David Pecker is set to testify first for the prosecution at Donald Trumps Manhattan trial this week.
Pecker, who ran The National Enquirer at the time of the alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign, would be able to help shed light on how the publication offered political cover to the former president with so-called catch-and-kill schemes to bury negative stories about him.
The news of Peckers role for the prosecution was first reported by The New York Times. Peckers testimony is yet another sign Trump could be in trouble as the trial heads into opening arguments on Monday.
The former publishing executive was previously granted witness immunity back in 2018 when federal prosecutors were looking into the payments.
Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/ex-national-enquirer-publisher-david-pecker-set-to-testify-first-at-trump-trial
Archae
(46,359 posts)Reporters who tell the truth at the Enquirer get fired.
Anyone else as sure as I am that Pecker is going to lie?
50 Shades Of Blue
(10,064 posts)will all corroborate each other, which will make Pecker look like a liar if he deviates from how Bragg expects him to testify. That said, I wouldn't put anything past Trump and his minions to issue explicit and terrifying threats against any of them and their families if they tell the truth. But Bragg has to be prepared for that too.
I know one thing. I'm gonna be glued to MSNBC again tomorrow!
BumRushDaShow
(129,662 posts)https://theweek.com/speedreads/792056/national-enquirer-publisher-david-pecker-reportedly-granted-immunity-dish-trumps-porn-star-hush-money
He also testified at the grand jury for this - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/david-pecker-national-enquirer-trump-hush-money-grand-jury-1234704557/
So they have past testimony to compare to.
FakeNoose
(32,823 posts)I think his "loyalty" to Chump took a nosedive several years ago. It will be interesting to find out if Chump ever actually paid Pecker for the catch & kill stories. The way Chump normally rolls, he probably never did pay for the huge favor Pecker did.
BumRushDaShow
(129,662 posts)but I doubt Pecker would do the same.
And I expect what we saw with Cohen doing the shell company creation and then payment to Pecker (getting reimbursed later), was probably the standard practice for any of the earlier "catch and kill" story payments.
blm
(113,112 posts)Permanently.
Its in his best interest to reveal everything in a legal setting if he wants to stay alive.
Happy Hoosier
(7,425 posts)blm
(113,112 posts)There were a LOT more stories .even worse stories.
2naSalit
(86,843 posts)iluvtennis
(19,882 posts)macwriter
(172 posts)That was the tabloid headline when David Pecker became a prosecution witness to save his own neck. And to this headline my husband replied, "Well, I'm not going to help him look for it!"
And that's one of the reasons why I love my guy.
Talitha
(6,625 posts)Or was that the guy who supposedly hung himself after Barr visited his cell?
It's difficult to remember all this crap!
BumRushDaShow
(129,662 posts)Talitha
(6,625 posts)Hmmm, maybe that's why Ivana's coffin was so heavy.
Novara
(5,857 posts)The prosecution said they would let the defense know who they were calling to testify once, but if they leaked it to the press they'd not do it again.
This wasn't leaked, was it? I know he was supposed to testify at some point but I didn't know it was going to be the first witness.
FormerOstrich
(2,703 posts)They didn't want to reveal the witnesses but agreed to updating the defense attorneys this one time. If it leaked...no more...looks like a leak to me but dunno
Oopsie Daisy
(2,703 posts)* all of a sudden I'm a 12 year old girl again. Tee-hee-hee.
redwitch
(14,950 posts)So childish of me. Tee hee.
Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)
cstanleytech This message was self-deleted by its author.
Hotler
(11,452 posts)They wear their peckers on their face.
LuckyLib
(6,821 posts)publisher if your average person brought in a manuscript with such absurdities. Stormy Daniels? Pecker? Yeah, right. Trumpy wears a diaper? Ivana is buried on his golf course? You cant make this stuff up!
Aussie105
(5,444 posts)Not worthy of a book or a film. Maybe a short series, 3 episodes?
Aussie105
(5,444 posts)Pecker says the hush money really did exist and get paid because that is how we did business in the old days?
Forensic accountants testify that it was funny money?
Other forensic accountants go 'yeah, we found lots of other instances!' ?
Judge says . . . don't need no jury - GUILTY! Life in jail! (For Trump, that is anything from 10 minutes to 10 years.)
The whole show should be over by Wednesday, 4 pm at the latest.
mwb970
(11,367 posts)This seems very weak to me when put up against the overwhelming evidence of his guilt.
And yes Donnie, we know exactly who you are.
BumRushDaShow
(129,662 posts)FakeNoose
(32,823 posts)However Chump wasn't president when this catch & kill activity happened. He was a private citizen, so why should he get "presidential immunity"? So far I've heard no good reasons why he should.
If he gets "presidential immunity" for these charges, then every American criminal can plead the same thing. "Your honor I plan to run for president next year, and I might win. Therefore I deserve immunity now."
JT45242
(2,304 posts)Enquirer would made far more in additional sales had they published the story.
Will also get into the other stories he buried and why. Will corroborate the story of Michael Cohen before Cohen even gets on the stand.
Plus. It will twist the knife in TFG as someone who should be "loyal" testifies against TFG.