- Former National Enquirer published David Pecker testifies before Manhattan grand jury over Donald Trump's hush money case
- Trump slams Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office over a potential indictment
- Stormy Daniels initially wanted to sell the story of her alleged affair with the former president to the National Enquirer
On Monday, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified before the Manhattan grand jury as the panel deliberated whether or not to indict former United States President Donald Trump.
The situation comes as the Republican businessman is accused of making a hush payment worth $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep their affair a secret. Pecker and his attorney were seen exiting the courthouse on Monday following a report on his testimony.
David Pecker Testifies in Donald Trump Hush Money Case
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the development. Furthermore, Elkan Abramowitz, Pecker's attorney, did not immediately comment on the situation.
The latest development on Monday was the first time in a week that the Manhattan grand jury heard further evidence in the former president's hush money case. On Wednesday last week, the panel was called off, and on Thursday was made to examine an unrelated matter, as per Politico.
The delay also prompted a heated response from the former president, which resulted in some Democratic lawmakers rallying in support of Bragg on Monday. The Manhattan district attorney's investigation into Trump focuses on the money allegedly paid to Daniels in 2016, which was made by the former president's former fixer, Michael Cohen.
Daniels alleges that she had an affair with the former president and considered selling her story to the National Enquirer. It was at a time when Pecker was still the tabloid's publisher.
But instead, Cohen went to Daniels and directly paid her the $130,000, which is a step that he told the court he took "in coordination with and at the direction of" the former president. However, Trump has continued denying an affair with the adult film star or any wrongdoing with the payment.
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Stormy Daniels Alleges Having Affair with Trump
Last week, the former president said he expected to be arrested after the years-long investigation had reached a seeming climax. According to Fox News, Bragg's office was also reported to be considering the issuance of an indictment over the payments made to Daniels.
On Saturday, Trump held a rally in Waco, Texas, his first official campaign rally for the 2024 presidential elections. At the event, he suggested that Bragg had already dropped the hush money case against him, a claim that was not accurate.
On the other hand, Republican lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee are demanding that Bragg testifies before Congress regarding his investigation. In response, the district attorney's office slammed the officials over their demands.
For over a week, Trump has criticized Brahh on his social media platform, Truth Social, as he faces a potential indictment following Cohen's testimony. Law enforcement personnel also said that Bragg's office received several hundreds of threats in the past few weeks, with an envelope on Friday that had non-hazardous white power and a letter that vowed to kill him, said CNBC.
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