April 26 (UPI) — The hush money trial of Donald Trump has reached its fourth day Friday with former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker on the witness stand for cross-examination by the defense.
The former president is in the courtroom while his attorney Emil Bove is cross-examining Pecker. The former publisher testified to purchasing and holding onto negative stories about Trump on Thursday.
Pecker was questioned Thursday about an alleged catch-and-kill scheme by the former president to bury stories of his extramarital affairs during his 2016 presidential campaign. Pecker said he purchased a story about an affair Trump allegedly had with a Playboy model to keep it from going public and harming his campaign.
When asked by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass if he purchased the story about the affair to influence the election, Pecker said “Yes.”
Pecker also testified earlier this week that he published negative and “fake” stories about Trump’s Republican primary opponents intended to harm their campaigns. Bove asked Pecker about the National Enquirer’s practice of recycling stories like these from other outlets.
Pecker confirmed that this is true.
Trump is charged with 34 counts related to falsifying business records in an alleged attempt to hide hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The Republican presidential candidate and presumptive nominee has complained throughout the trial that it is interfering with his ability to campaign. Trump has alleged that this and other cases against him are politically motivated.