David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, is expected to be the first witness summoned by the Manhattan district attorney's office in the hush money trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, reports say.
Following the opening statements that will begin Monday, the district attorney's office is expected to summon Pecker as a witness, The New York Times reported.
Pecker reportedly played a key role in the alleged scheme to provide hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels in order to cover up her alleged affair with Trump prior to the 2016 presidential election.
As the then-chairman and CEO of National Enquirer's parent company American Media Inc. (AMI), Pecker was allegedly involved in numerous "catch-and-kill" schemes carried out on behalf of Trump. The scheme included the unethical practice of offering payments to sources in exchange for their silence regarding negative stories about Trump.
In October 2016, an agent representing Daniels reached out to AMI, indicating her plan to publicly disclose her allegations of an affair with Trump. Pecker then allegedly contacted Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, who negotiated a deal to silence Daniels for $130,000, according to court documents.
Pecker's media company also allegedly paid $150,000 to actress Karen McDougal, who likewise alleged an affair with Trump, around the same period as the payments made to Daniels. Pecker allegedly withheld McDougal's story until after the election.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Trump in an April 2023 indictment of "falsifying New York business records to conceal damaging information and illicit activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election."
Trump, who is the Republican presidential candidate for the upcoming election, has consistently denied the affair and has entered a plea of not guilty.
AMI was not subjected to criminal charges. However, the company acknowledged making the payment to McDougal. It had settled with the Federal Election Commission, agreeing to pay a $187,500 fine for violating campaign finance laws.
Pecker has been granted immunity in exchange for his testimony, while AMI has entered into a non-prosecution agreement with prosecutors.
Both Daniels and Cohen are also expected to testify as witnesses during the trial.
It remains uncertain whether Trump will choose to testify in his defense. He has criticized the case as a politically motivated distraction from the upcoming 2024 election.
The trial is anticipated to go on for approximately six weeks.
