Trump hush-money trial: prosecution calls David Pecker as first witness | Donald Trump trials

\n <div class=\”trump-tracker-container\”><div class=\”trump-tracker-group svelte-1l4zo9t\”><h3 class=\”svelte-1l4zo9t\”>Key figures</h3> \n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #cc0a11;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/trump.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Donald Trump\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Donald Trump</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Defendant</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #e6b3b4;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/cohen.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Michael Cohen\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Michael Cohen</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Trump’s former personal counsel</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #e6b3b4;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/daniels.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Stormy Daniels\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Stormy Daniels</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Adult film star</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #e6b3b4;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/mcdougal.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Karen McDougal\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Karen McDougal</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Former Playboy model</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #e6b3b4;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/howard.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Dylan Howard\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Dylan Howard</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Editor-in-chief of National Enquirer</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #e6b3b4;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/pecker.png\” alt=\”Portrait of David Pecker\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>David Pecker</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Former CEO of American Media Inc</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #e6b3b4;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/mcconney.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Jeffrey McConney\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Jeffrey McConney</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Former controller of the Trump Organization</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #e6b3b4;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/weisselberg.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Allen Weisselberg\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Allen Weisselberg</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization</p>\n</div></div>\n\n <div class=\”trump-tracker-group svelte-1l4zo9t\”><h3 class=\”svelte-1l4zo9t\”>Lawyers and judges</h3>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #dcdcdc;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/blanche.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Todd Blanche\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Todd Blanche</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Trump’s lawyer</p>\n</div>\n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #dcdcdc;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/bragg.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Alvin Bragg\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Alvin Bragg</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Manhattan district attorney</p>\n</div>\n \n <div class=\”tracker-person svelte-jqdg4b\”><div class=\”headshot-container svelte-jqdg4b\” style=\”background-color: #dcdcdc;\”><img src=\”https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2023/07/trump-litigation-tracker/assets/v/1712958655816/merchan.png\” alt=\”Portrait of Juan Merchan\” class=\”svelte-jqdg4b\”></div>\n <p class=\”tracker-name svelte-jqdg4b\”>Juan Merchan</p>\n <p class=\”tracker-title svelte-jqdg4b\”>Acting judge of the New York supreme court</p>\n</div></div>\n</div>\n</div>”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713798792000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”16.13 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713800391000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”16.39 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713798844000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”16.14 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”16.14″,”title”:”Who are the key players in the hush-money trial?”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”66267c358f0880906b780c9f”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Manhattan DA <strong>Matthew Colangelo</strong> said:</p>”,”elementId”:”c8f86a81-4417-4893-95c5-93b1c24dde48″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<blockquote class=\”quoted\”>\n <p>Look, no politician wants bad press, but the evidence at trial will show that this wasn’t spin or communication strategy. This was a planned, coordinated, long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election, to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal expenditures – to silence people with something bad to say about his behavior.</p>\n</blockquote>”,”elementId”:”ee0e0e5a-b129-4a39-93ec-79e19341bac8″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>He added:</p>”,”elementId”:”146f944f-e28d-4782-bee0-1c700ed53b8a”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<blockquote class=\”quoted\”>\n <p>It was election fraud, pure and simple.</p>\n</blockquote>”,”elementId”:”e3505026-cbad-4648-8646-6ef005a0ec31″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Colangelo said “we’ll never know” whether this conspiracy made the difference “in a close election”.</p>”,”elementId”:”683d263f-2d44-4c22-bf16-38804d7269c3″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>While Colangelo is sticking to the facts, his word choice is keeping things interesting – which, admittedly, can be hard in a record about allegedly illicit financial records.</p>”,”elementId”:”b4e3aba5-f96c-413e-afdd-df8f0fd6a0a7″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Among the entertaining quips was when he described a meeting between <strong>Michael Cohen</strong> and former Trump Organization CFO <strong>Allen Weisselberg</strong> – <a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/04/allen-weisselberg-guilty-trump-org\”>who pleaded guilty</a> – to discuss how his ex-lawyer would be repaid.</p>”,”elementId”:”629dea7d-d25a-45b4-be7b-33e1f0ba6524″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<blockquote class=\”quoted\”>\n <p>Neither Trump nor the Trump Organization could just write a check to Cohen for $130,000 with a memo line that said ‘reimbursement for porn star payoff’ – they had to disguise the nature of the repayment, so they agreed to cook the books and make it look like the repayment was actually income.</p>\n</blockquote>”,”elementId”:”85fc502a-026a-4a32-ad01-71a9bbc26a8b”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713798197000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”16.03 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713799509000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”16.25 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713798423000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”16.07 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”16.07″,”title”:”Prosecution: ‘It was election fraud, pure and simple'”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Victoria Bekiempis”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Global/content/icons/2012/1/12/1326399318846/victoriabekiempis_140x140.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=d4686d26969d9d9085c81230ba7970a9″}],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”662676168f08eae6d25f1f74″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>The prosecution’s opening statement has just started. Prosecutor <strong>Matthew Colangelo</strong> says:</p>”,”elementId”:”2732f4f8-985c-4f20-9c3b-b09d47e3a9c1″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<blockquote class=\”quoted\”>\n <p>This case is about a criminal conspiracy and fraud. The defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election then, he covered up that conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over, and, over, and over again.</p>\n</blockquote>”,”elementId”:”9e02519b-693b-4861-88cc-71bda60c47cd”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Trump “invited his friend, <strong>David Pecker,</strong> to a meeting at Trump Tower in Manhattan”, he says. Pecker, Cohen, and Trump met “as part of that agreement, <strong>Michael Cohen</strong> paid $130,000 to an adult film actress named <strong>Stormy Daniels </strong>… to silence her, and to make sure the public did not learn about a sexual encounter with the defendant”.</p>”,”elementId”:”0266b420-6f99-4b00-a246-7eb76098e86e”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<blockquote class=\”quoted\”>\n <p>The defendant said in his business records that he was paying Cohen for legal services pursuant to a legal agreement but those were lies: there was no retainer agreement Cohen was not paying for legal services, the defendant was paying him back for an illegal payment to Stormy Daniels on the eve of the election … he wanted to conceal his and others’ criminal conduct.</p>\n</blockquote>”,”elementId”:”5af1856e-5962-4a1f-9638-025b7ba08486″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713796630000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”15.37 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713797025000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”15.43 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713796786000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”15.39 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”15.39″,”title”:”Prosecution: ‘This case is about criminal conspiracy'”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Victoria Bekiempis”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Global/content/icons/2012/1/12/1326399318846/victoriabekiempis_140x140.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=d4686d26969d9d9085c81230ba7970a9″}],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”662674908f0880906b780c1a”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Manhattan district attorney prosecutor <strong>Matthew Colangelo</strong> has begun his side’s opening statement. He says:</p>”,”elementId”:”dea38467-2785-4937-9dea-25b3ccc158d8″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<blockquote class=\”quoted\”>\n <p>This case is about a criminal conspiracy. The defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a scheme to corrupt the 2016 election. Then he covered up that scheme by lying in his New York business records, over and over and over again.</p>\n</blockquote>”,”elementId”:”582e320a-d61a-401e-a58a-84b0fd004aa2″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713796240000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”15.30 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713796450000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”15.34 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713796318000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”15.31 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”15.31″,”title”:”Prosecution begins opening statements”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”6626724d8f0880906b780bef”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p><strong>Donald Trump</strong> is leaning forward in his chair as he listens to <strong>Judge Merchan</strong> read preliminary jury instructions.</p>”,”elementId”:”12619b24-729e-4df1-a133-20e718f39138″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>It’s going to be an exceptionally busy legal week for Trump:</p>”,”elementId”:”529829f9-3eea-49a9-a203-d342919c119d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<ul>\n <li><p>On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Trump must sit in New York state criminal court for this trial about falsification of business records to influence the 2016 presidential election;</p></li>\n <li><p>Also on Monday, a New York civil judge is set to hold a hearing to decide <a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/01/trump-bond-civil-fraud-case-averts-asset-seizures\”>whether to cancel Trump’s $175m bond in his civil fraud case;</a></p></li>\n <li><p>On Thursday, Trump’s legal team will argue before the US supreme court<a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/19/trump-lawyers-us-supreme-court-immunity\”> that Trump has presidential immunity and cannot be prosecuted </a>over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.</p></li>\n</ul>”,”elementId”:”64b2f1b3-1563-43bc-8c14-cd22d6aace51″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713795661000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”15.21 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713795815000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”15.23 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713795816000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”15.23 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”15.23″,”title”:”A busy legal week ahead for Trump”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Hugo Lowell”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2023/05/25/Hugo_Lowell.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=84872dbbdd0d129b2e072ae43017e201″,”largeImageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2023/05/25/Hugo_Lowell.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=caefea5e156841f14b7ee37aa2e5f6ab”}],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”662669bb8f0838b5ece1ed7a”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Judge <strong>Juan Merchan</strong> says a juror<a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/apr/22/historic-trump-hush-money-trial-to-hear-opening-statements-live-updates?page=with:block-6626685f8f0838b5ece1ed66#block-6626685f8f0838b5ece1ed66\”> who expressed concerns </a>is staying on the panel. He says:</p>”,”elementId”:”5ba570d5-83f7-43b1-a245-4ff46cd17ff0″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<blockquote class=\”quoted\”>\n <p>Juror No 9 is going to remain with us, so that’s not going to be an issue.</p>\n</blockquote>”,”elementId”:”787cfebc-bef6-41df-9129-401b5479f636″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713793467000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”14.44 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713794278000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.57 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713793588000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”14.46 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”14.46″,”title”:”Juror who expressed concerns about media attention will remain”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”662665728f0838b5ece1ed3d”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p><strong>Donald Trump</strong> addressed reporters before entering the Manhattan courtroom, where he complained about his treatment and once again described himself as a victim of a “witch hunt”.</p>”,”elementId”:”d4700a23-fac9-4986-9854-7305eb0b55cc”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>“What’s going on right here should never be happening. It’s a very, very sad day in America,” Trump told reporters.</p>”,”elementId”:”087260c3-f870-49f7-b55a-053c3f28afc5″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>The former president focused much of his remarks on the New York attorney general, <strong>Letitia James,</strong> <a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/17/who-is-letitia-james-new-york-ag-trump-fraud-trial\”>and her civil fraud suit against him. </a>James is “the worst attorney general in the country,” Trump complained.</p>”,”elementId”:”3d1fecec-32b2-4137-a39e-846357a4180d”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713792370000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”14.26 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713793102000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.38 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713793063000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”14.37 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”14.37″,”title”:”Trump: ‘It’s a very, very sad day in America'”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”662667518f08ef00de8b083d”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>The court is now in session.</p>”,”elementId”:”a78b09be-6e0f-49f9-9ea2-b6a5fed323d0″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Opening statements are expected to begin soon.</p>”,”elementId”:”e56c558d-bc4a-4fcb-b33a-ea879595ac3a”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>The <strong>prosecution</strong> will probably try to frame the trial not as a sex scandal, but as another case of Trump’s attempts to interfere with elections. After all, that’s what they argue elevates this case to a felony: the prosecution say Trump falsified business records (normally a misdemeanor) in order to violate US campaign finance law (a federal crime).</p>”,”elementId”:”b900c04c-7e4e-4dc9-b73e-8f4fbefb883b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>The <strong>defense</strong> will be trying to downplay the events as a sordid but forgivable case of trying to hide an affair, which doesn’t rise to the level of a federal crime. They’re also likely to pile on Cohen’s own shady history in order to throw doubt on his claim that he discussed the deal with Trump in the Oval Office in 2017.</p>”,”elementId”:”72e8c68b-8e53-41c3-bfb5-6661865a410c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p><strong><a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donald-trump-trials\”>Trump’s criminal hush-money trial:</a> what to know</strong></p>”,”elementId”:”3a3101a0-e9ec-48ea-9360-45ed9a9db135″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<ul>\n <li><p><strong><a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/15/trump-hush-money-trial\”>A guide to Trump’s hush-money trial</a> – so far</strong></p></li>\n <li><p><strong>The jurors: <a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/18/jurors-trump-hush-money-trial-jury\”>who is on the Trump trial jury?</a></strong></p></li>\n <li><p><strong><a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/15/trump-hush-money-trial-key-arguments\”>The key arguments</a> prosecutors will use against Trump</strong></p></li>\n <li><p><strong><a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/15/trumps-first-trial-is-starting-heres-how-itll-work\”>How will Trump’s trial work?</a></strong></p></li>\n <li><p><strong>From Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels: <a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/15/key-players-donald-trump-hush-money-trial\”>the key players</a></strong></p></li>\n</ul>”,”elementId”:”9bc8b340-1b57-4102-b0db-a3be2a99e216″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713792849000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”14.34 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713793510000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.45 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713792870000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”14.34 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”14.34″,”title”:”Court is in session”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”66265d148f082de21b70efc3″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Donald Trump has arrived at the Manhattan central courthouse for the opening in earnest of his criminal trial, likely to include opening statements today.</p>”,”elementId”:”0c5a4f0b-052c-4227-b48e-6d958fadb71d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>The Guardian’s Victoria Bekiempis and Hugo Lowell are at the courthouse.</p>”,”elementId”:”0e3e03f4-d8e7-4eaa-951c-0ebddeff592e”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713790228000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.50 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713792971000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.36 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713790866000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”14.01 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”14.01″,”title”:”Trump arrives at New York courthouse for opening statements”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Chris Michael”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2018/03/20/chrismichael.jpeg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=5442defbaf96c35e82a7ea3edd28c1cc”}],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”66265c1c8f087d0698efb519″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Donald Trump left Trump Tower, waving to assembled press, and is on his way in a motorcade to the Manhattan central courthouse.</p>”,”elementId”:”7e050ddd-5c2b-45c9-ab47-5ba9e3e35a9a”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713789980000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.46 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713790341000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”13.52 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713790218000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.50 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.50″,”title”:”Trump leaves for court”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Chris Michael”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2018/03/20/chrismichael.jpeg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=5442defbaf96c35e82a7ea3edd28c1cc”}],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”662639498f085ced9b0ba423″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Likely to come first is what’s known as a “<strong>Sandoval</strong>” decision. Here, the judge rules in advance about what prosecutors are allowed to ask Trump if he takes the stand – helping Trump decide whether to do so. (He has said he would, but signs indicate he may not.)</p>”,”elementId”:”6b81935a-fee5-44f2-901b-dd3d4c293895″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>In this case, prosecutors have asked the judge for several things, such as permission to ask Trump about the two civil fraud trials he just lost: one for defaming <strong>E Jean Carroll</strong> after she accused him of raping her, which a judge ruled was “substantially true”, and the other for <strong>fradulently inflating</strong> the value of his properties.</p>”,”elementId”:”8c39e475-1de9-4054-b236-36ebcbbd143d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>They also want to grill him, among other matters, about criticism from a judge in a different case that Trump <strong>didn’t seem to be a truthful witness</strong>. Colour us shocked.</p>”,”elementId”:”05e06c19-49e6-4bb4-ad92-cd028361214d”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713782327000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”11.38 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713788141000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”13.15 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713786175000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”12.42 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”12.42″,”title”:”What’s happening today?”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Chris Michael”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2018/03/20/chrismichael.jpeg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=5442defbaf96c35e82a7ea3edd28c1cc”}],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”},{“id”:”662632728f08839e09ac8da5″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Well, after all the appeals and bombast and tears, it’s finally here: opening statements in the first criminal trial of a US president.</p>”,”elementId”:”8b64df74-faa4-4fa2-a671-da7b7b04b4d2″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Jury selection in the case of the <strong>People of the State of New York versus Donald Trump</strong> wrapped up last week, though not without some difficulty. Hundreds of prospective jurors were dismissed, several cried and a couple of them quit <em>after</em> they were chosen.</p>”,”elementId”:”65befe78-602e-426b-8eeb-d6319038e32b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>But at last <strong>Judge Juan Merchan</strong> has landed on 18 people (12 jurors and six alternates) living in Manhattan who say they don’t have strong enough opinions about Donald Trump to bias them against the facts.</p>”,”elementId”:”e1b2151b-b8a0-45b2-8244-b68e94b1cc22″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>And facts there are aplenty. Prosecutors accuse Trump of falsifying business records in order to cover up an attempt to influence the 2016 election. Specifically, they say he tried right before that election – at a time when was already facing serious heat because of the Access Hollywood tape, in which he bragged he could sexually assault women because he was famous – to buy the silence of a porn star, <a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/stormy-daniels\” data-component=\”auto-linked-tag\”>Stormy Daniels</a>, who says she had an affair with him 10 years before.</p>”,”elementId”:”48ef7c39-9c22-42df-ab5a-5cda29ac9bfb”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>Prosecutors say Trump feared yet another sex scandal could sink his election prospects, so he paid her to keep silent about the affair, his coercive behavior in the bedroom, and of course his “<a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/nov/04/full-disclosure-by-stormy-daniels-digested-read\”>toadstool</a>”.</p>”,”elementId”:”06227616-ff05-45ba-8d2c-582aa9a3d14f”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<p>It’s going to be edifying. We’re at the courthouse. Stay with us.</p>”,”elementId”:”cc883b48-294d-4c07-acf7-ee2db5613a95″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1713782327000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”11.38 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1713791161000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.06 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1713782327000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”11.38 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”11.38″,”title”:”Hush-money trial to hear opening statements”,”contributors”:[{“name”:”Chris Michael”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2018/03/20/chrismichael.jpeg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=5442defbaf96c35e82a7ea3edd28c1cc”}],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 22 Apr 2024 17.44 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 22 Apr 2024 11.38 BST”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”id”:”key-events-carousel-mobile”}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false}”>

Key events

Victoria Bekiempis

The defense team and prosecutors are still in the courtroom after jurors left.

Lawyers on both sides are squabbling over various objections.

Hugo Lowell

Donald Trump is very attentive to and focused on David Pecker’s testimony.

He has been conferring both with his lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, in between watching Pecker on the monitor in front of him.

Trump has also started to take notes on the yellow legal pad in front of hm.

Victoria Bekiempis

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is trying to establish that David Pecker had the power as head of AMI to control coverage – which will help him later on as the prosecution tries to prove that Pecker was integral to the catch-and-kill conspiracy. Pecker said:

We used checkbook journalism and we paid for stories. I gave a number to the editors that they could not spend more than $10,000 to investigate or produce or publish a story, anything over $10,000 they would spend on a story, they would have to be vetted and brought up to me, for approval.

Did he have final editorial say, Steinglass pressed. Pecker replied:

Being in the publishing industry for 40 years, I realized early in my career that the only thing that was important is the cover of a magazine, so when the editors produced the story or prepared a cover, we would have a meeting and they would present to me what the story would be, what the concept was, what the cost was going to be.

Victoria Bekiempis

Right now, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is going through preliminary information, establish who David Pecker is, and why he matters.

This is normally when witnesses first take the stand.

What kind of work do you do? Consulting.

What did you used to do? Pecker said he chaired AMI. The company had titles such as the National Enquirer and The Globe, he said.

Prosecution calls first witness: David Pecker

Victoria Bekiempis

And we’re off to the races. Judge Juan Merchan directs prosecution to call first witness. “The people call David Pecker.”

Pecker, with his silvery hair slicked back, sporting a slate suit and a yellow tie, walked to the witness stand.

He was instructed to raise his right hand while being sworn in and when he was directed to stand in a different direction, offered a smile. He’s seated at the stand.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass just said “good afternoon, Mr Pecker,” to which he replied, “Good afternoon.”

Victoria Bekiempis

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche also insisted that catch-and-kills are legally OK. “There’s nothing illegal about a scheme,” Blanche said, insisting nothing was legally untoward with what purportedly went down between Trump, Michael Cohen and David Pecker.

“This sort of things happens regularly, where newspapers [make] decisions about what to publish, where to publish, how to publish,” Blanche said.

It happens with politicians, famous people, wealthy people …

Blanche’s opening statement has ended. We have a brief break.

Victoria Bekiempis

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche has been hammering down on the prosecution’s expected star witnesses: Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.

Cohen, Blanche said, was incredibly loyal to his then-boss. He wanted a job in his administration and didn’t get one. Blanche said:

He’s obsessed with President Trump – he’s obsessed with President Trump, even to this day.

So much so that Cohen has multiple podcasts over Trump and routinely waxes enthusiastic about the possibility of his former boss’s conviction. Cohen, he noted, was found to have lied under oath, further undermining his reliability.

As for Daniels? She had “made a life” off of her alleged liaison with Trump, Blanche said. But, in the end, her role here was immaterial.

It doesn’t matter. What I mean by that is, I expect you will learn that Ms Daniels doesn’t have any idea. She doesn’t know anything about the charge, 34 counts in this case. She has no idea what Michael Cohen wrote on the invoice … her testimony, while salacious, does not matter.

Victoria Bekiempis

As for Stormy Daniels wanting to come forward with her alleged affair with Trump, and his decision to address it, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche defended his doing so, leaning hard into the everyman motif yet again – that Trump was just a man who wanted to protect his loved ones.

It was sinister, and it was an attempt to try to embarrass President Trump, to embarrass his family, because as the people alluded to at that time, there were all kinds of salacious allegations going around about President Trump, and it was damaging to him and it was damaging to his family.

Blanche also said:

You will hear during this trial President Trump fought back – like he always does – like he’s entitled to do to protect his family, his reputation, and his brand – that is not a crime.

Victoria Bekiempis

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche then downplayed prosecutors’ theory of the case. He said:

I have a spoiler alert: there’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election, it’s called democracy.

Prosecutors, he said, “They put something sinister on this idea, as if it was a crime. You’ll learn: it’s not.”

Trump lawyer argues ‘there’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election’

Hugo Lowell

Trump lead lawyer Todd Blanche’s defense opening statement to the jury appears to be that Trump was unaware about the specifics of the hush-money payments because Trump left it all to his ex-lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen.

Trump had nothing to do with the 34 checks other than to sign them, Blanche says. Trump had nothing to do with generating the checks or the allegedly falsified entries on the Trump Organization ledger, he says.

Blanche adds that there’s nothing wrong with trying to influence the 2016 election: “It’s called democracy.” And that’s the other thrust of Trump’s defense:

Entering into a non-disclosure agreement is perfectly legal; companies do that all the time.

Defense begins opening statement: ‘President Trump is innocent’

Victoria Bekiempis

And now it’s the defense’s turn.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche is telling jurors:

President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes. The Manhattan district attorney should never have brought this case.

Blanche is trying hard to humanize Trump, while also repeatedly calling him “President Trump”. It’s an odd balance to strike – trying to portray him as a normal guy, but also the former commander-in-chief.

President Trump, you’ve seen him, of course, for years and years and years … He’s, in some ways, larger than life. But he’s also here in this courtroom doing what any of us would do – defending himself.

As for why they’re using “President” for a man who’s no longer in the White House?

This is a title that he has earned, because he was our 45th president. We will call him President Trump, out of respect for the office that he held from 2017 to 2021.

Blanche, shortly thereafter, said: “He’s also a man, he’s a husband, he’s a father, he’s a person who’s just like you and just like me.”

Victoria Bekiempis

Manhattan DA Matthew Colangelo also used Trump’s purported cheapness as evidence of motive.

Michael Cohen paid $130,000 in the Daniels payoff. But, he was ultimately repaid $420,000. Per Colangelo, Cohen and former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg had met to discuss how Cohen would get repaid. They added $50,000 to the tab for “tech services” Cohen paid for during the campaign, and then doubled that sum “to account for taxes”.

The final amount Trump ultimately paid effectively showed that Trump knew his payoff was wrong. Colangelo said:

Donald Trump was a very frugal businessman. He believed in pinching pennies … He believed in negotiating every bill.

With Cohen, Colangelo emphasized, Trump did not hold back money.

Donald Trump’s willingness to do so here shows just how important it was to hide the true nature of Cohen’s [payment] to Ms Daniels and the overall election conspiracy they had launched in August of 2015.