David Pecker, a key figure in the hush-money scandal involving former President Donald Trump, is set to be the first witness in Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan.
The New York Timesfirst reported that Pecker would be the prosecution's initial witness.
Pecker, the former CEO of the company that published The National Enquirer, is expected to provide crucial testimony about his role in suppressing stories detrimental to Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. According to sources familiar with the trial preparations, Pecker will discuss several conversations with Trump regarding the hush money payments.
The charges against Trump stem from a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, intended to prevent her from publicizing a claimed sexual encounter with Trump. Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, facilitated the payment and was later reimbursed by Trump, a transaction prosecutors argue was fraudulently recorded as legal expenses by Trump’s company.
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If convicted, Trump could face up to four years in prison, though the actual sentence could be less severe.
Prosecutors, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, are portraying the case as one of election interference, suggesting that Trump orchestrated a scheme to influence the 2016 election by concealing negative stories. The defense will likely challenge the credibility of Cohen, who has admitted to federal crimes related to the payment.
The outcome of the trial could hinge on the testimony of witnesses like Pecker and Cohen, as well as internal documents and recordings that detail the transactions and discussions surrounding the hush-money payments.