Magazine publisher David Pecker will be the initial witness in the criminal hush money trial of former President Trump, according to a report by The New York Times on Sunday. This development marks a significant moment as it sets the stage for the first criminal trial involving a former president, which is scheduled to begin on Monday.
The focus of the case against Trump revolves around the payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors argue that the former president engaged in illegal activities by concealing these payments just before the 2016 election, in an effort to suppress reports about a supposed previous relationship.
Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, acknowledged engaging in a “catch-and-kill” strategy to assist Trump’s election campaign in 2016. This scheme involved the unethical practice of offering payment to sources in exchange for their silence regarding any unfavorable stories about Trump.
Pecker’s media company secretly paid actress Karen McDougal $150,000 around the same time as the Daniels payments. McDougal, who also alleged an affair with Trump, had her story deliberately withheld until after the election.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the New York Times reported that Pecker’s testimony is anticipated to focus on his discussions with Trump regarding the payments made to keep certain information confidential.
Former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen, who made the payments to Daniels, Daniels herself, and aide Hope Hicks, among others, are expected to be called as notable witnesses in the case.
The question remains unanswered as to whether the former president will testify in his defense.
Trump has dismissed the case as a politically motivated distraction from the upcoming 2024 election. He maintains his innocence and has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records.
The trial is anticipated to span approximately six weeks.
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