It was a short day, but a momentous one as the first witness took the stand in the criminal trial against former President Donald Trump.
On Monday, David Pecker, former publisher for The National Enquirer, took the stand briefly before court adjourned for the day, The New York Times reported.
Pecker testified about how The National Enquirer paid for stories in something he referred to as “checkbook journalism.”
Prosecutors said he is one of three men who conspired to conceal harming stories such as former porn star Stormy Daniels’ take on an alleged sexual affair with Trump. This happened when Trump was running for president in 2016, the NYT reported.
Also on Monday, both sides gave opening statements to kick off the first criminal trial ever against an American president.
Matthew Colangelo, one of the prosecutors for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, started his argument by stating the case was about “a criminal conspiracy and a coverup.”
He said Trump and Pecker, along with former Trump attorney Michael D. Cohen conspired to “catch and kill” a story that would damage Trump’s run for president.
On the other hand, Todd Blanche, one of Trump’s attorneys, countered by proclaiming his client’s innocence.
“President Trump is innocent,” he said. “President Trump did not commit any crimes.”
Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors allege he reimbursed Cohen $130,000 that Cohen paid Daniels in exchange for her silence. They also allege Trump falsified business records in an attempt to cover up what he had done.
Colangelo said Trump’s actions show “just how important it was to him to hide the true nature of Cohen’s illegal payment to Ms. Daniels and the overall election conspiracy that they had launched.”
Cohen, who was an executive vice president at the Trump Organization, is also on the witness list.
Blanche wasted no time in attacking Cohen’s credibility and noted that Cohen now lives on the funds he reaps by attacking Trump.
Trump’s actions were “perfectly legal activities,” the NYT said, paraphrasing Blanche.
“I have a spoiler alert: There’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election,” Blanche said. “It’s called democracy.
“They put something sinister on this idea as if it were a crime. You’ll learn it’s not.”
Trump faces up to four years in prison if convicted, per the outlet.
The day began with Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, ruled on what prosecutors can ask Trump if he takes the stand in his own defense.
Prosecutors may question Trump on “several recent losses he suffered in unrelated civil trials, including a fraud case this year in which the former president was found liable for conspiring to manipulate his net worth and was penalized $454 million,” according to the NYT.
