JUST IN: Alvin Bragg’s ‘Star Witness’ Once Again Gives Trump-Friendly Testimony

Key witness David Pecker delivered testimony on Thursday that may complicate the prosecution’s case in a twist that could influence the high-profile legal battle against former President Donald Trump. Pecker, a longtime associate of Trump and former head of the media company that owns the National Enquirer, was called to the stand by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to discuss the dealings surrounding hush money payments.

The nub of the case revolves around allegations that Trump falsified business records to cover up reimbursements made to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for payments meant to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels. These payments were allegedly made to prevent damage to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign following revelations about his personal conduct, including claims made in the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape.

Pecker testified that he first became aware of Daniels’ allegations of a sexual affair with Trump in the wake of the tape’s release, stating that Daniels was seeking $120,000 for her story. According to Pecker, his media company could not afford the asking price. This led to Michael Cohen stepping in to handle the matter, ultimately leading to a $130,000 payment to Daniels.

The testimony took an unexpected turn when Pecker recounted a conversation with Trump regarding the reimbursement for the Daniels payment as reported by Fox News. According to Pecker, when he mentioned the reimbursement to Trump, the former president expressed ignorance about the situation. This statement could undermine the prosecution’s claim that Trump was actively involved in orchestrating the cover-up.

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Additionally, Pecker discussed his involvement in purchasing the lifetime rights to a story from former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also alleged an affair with Trump. Pecker stated that the purchase was partly motivated by concerns that the story could damage Trump’s presidential campaign. However, he clarified that these concerns were not directly communicated by Trump himself.

Prosecutors are attempting to demonstrate that Trump’s actions constituted falsification of business records in furtherance of another crime, specifically citing a New York law against conspiracy to promote or prevent election outcomes. This law forms the basis of the allegation that the falsified records were part of an effort to illicitly influence the election.

“He’s been very nice. David’s been very nice. He’s a nice guy,” Trump said to reporters while interacting with construction crews in the city early Thursday morning.

Pecker is known for his significant role in the media industry, particularly through his involvement with American Media Inc. (AMI), which is the publisher of various tabloid magazines including the National Enquirer. Pecker served as the CEO of AMI and has been a notable figure due to the company’s practice of “catch and kill,” which involves purchasing the rights to potentially damaging stories about celebrities or public figures and then not publishing them, effectively keeping the stories out of the public spotlight.

His name came into broader public awareness during the investigations into hush money payments involving former President Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels, where AMI’s involvement was scrutinized due to its role in suppressing damaging stories during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Experts say that Pecker’s testimony, while initially seen as potentially damning, may in fact lend unexpected support to Trump’s defense by casting doubt on his direct involvement in the payment schemes.