Trump trial live: David Pecker testifies ‘mentor’ Trump was ‘very upset’ when Playboy model affair story broke

Donald Trump meets New Yorkers before resuming hush money trial

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Donald Trump made a surprise campaign stop at a construction site in New York early on Thursday morning en route to day seven of his hush money trial, where the jury heard further testimony from a former tabloid mogul who detailed the “catch-and-kill” scheme.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified about his agreement with his “mentor” Mr Trump and former attorney Michael Cohen to “kill” stories about the defendant’s alleged affairs. Cross-examination by defence lawyer Emil Bove will likely wrap up on Friday.

Justice Juan Merchan is yet to rule on whether Mr Trump should be held in contempt and fined $10,000 for allegedly violating a trial gag order by posting about witnesses and jurors on Truth Social.

Elsewhere, 11 local Republicans and several key Trump allies have been indicted in Arizona for allegedly joining a failed “fake elector” plot during the aftermath of the 2020 election to keep Mr Trump in office.

And, in Washington DC, attorneys for the former president delivered oral arguments in front of the Supreme Court in support of his “presidential immunity” defence against prosecution in a landmark hearing.

Alex Woodward is providing live updates from the courthouse in Manhattan.

1714115700Reversing Trump repeal, FCC restores net neutralityThe FCC on Thursday restored “net neutrality” rules that prevent broadband internet providers such as Comcast and AT&T from favoring some sites and apps over others.

The move effectively reinstates a net neutrality order the commission first issued in 2015 during the Obama administration; under then-President Donald Trump, the FCC subsequently repealed those rules in 2017.

Net neutrality is the principle that providers of internet service should treat all traffic equally. The rules, for instance, ban practices that throttle or block certain sites or apps, or that offer higher speeds to customers willing to pay extra.

Read more…

1714108500Trump claims campus protests are worse than deadly white supremacist rally in CharlottesvilleDonald Trump has claimed that the antisemitic, white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 was “peanuts” compared to the current pro-Palestine demonstrations across US college campuses.

“Joe Biden would say, constantly, that he ran because of Charlottesville,” he wrote, referencing the 2020 election.

“Well, if that’s the case, he’s done a really terrible job because Charlottesville is like a ‘peanut’ compared to the riots and anti-Israel protests that are happening all over our Country, RIGHT NOW.”

Graig Graziosi has the story:

Oliver O’Connell26 April 2024 06:15

1714101341Trump vows to beat Biden in New YorkDonald Trump vowed to beat President Joe Biden in the 2024 election in New York as he made a surprise campaign stop at a construction site in Manhattan early on Thursday morning – on a day when testimony resumes in his hush money trial and the US Supreme Court hears arguments in his “presidential immunity” case.

“We’re going to make a play for New York,” Mr Trump told reporters at the event.

Martha McHardy has the story:

Oliver O’Connell26 April 2024 04:15

1714097741Trump meets New Yorkers ahead of resumption of hush money trialDonald Trump met with New Yorkers on Thursday 25 April, ahead of the resumption of his criminal hush money trial. The former president is accused of falsifying business records documenting a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair she said she had with Mr Trump in 2006. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts and denied having an affair with Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. The trial is the first of a past or present US president and carries political risks for Mr Trump as he prepares for a November rematch with Joe Biden.

Oliver O’Connell26 April 2024 03:15

1714094141Supreme Court justices appear poised to offer Trump some immunityAriana Baio reports on today’s oral arguments at the Supreme Court:

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Oliver O’Connell26 April 2024 02:15

1714090541The National Enquirer was the go-to American tabloid for many years. Donald Trump helped change thatCatch and kill. Checkbook journalism. Secret deals. Friends helping friends.

Even by National Enquirer standards, testimony by its former publisher David Pecker at Donald Trump‘s hush money trial this week has revealed an astonishing level of corruption at America’s best-known tabloid and may one day be seen as the moment it effectively died.

“It just has zero credibility,” said Lachlan Cartwright, executive editor of the Enquirer from 2014 to 2017. “Whatever sort of credibility it had was totally damaged by what happened in court this week.”

On Thursday, Pecker was back on the witness stand to tell more about the arrangement he made to boost Trump’s presidential candidacy in 2016, tear down his rivals and silence any revelations that may have damaged him.

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1714086941Watch: Former Trump White House lawyer says ex-president needs to be sharp to speak with pressOliver O’Connell26 April 2024 00:15

1714085141E Jean Carroll defamation: Trump loses latest bid for new trialEric Garcia reports:

A federal court denied former president Donald Trump’s request to have a new trial related to the charges that he defamed writer E Jean Carroll, who accused him of sexual assault.

The US District Court for the Southern District of New York handed down the denial on Thursday after Mr Trump had sought a new trial.

Read on…

Oliver O’Connell25 April 2024 23:45

1714082441Watch: Trump calls Charlottesville ‘a little peanut’ compared to college Gaza protestsOliver O’Connell25 April 2024 23:00

1714081541Schwarzenegger dragged into Trump hush money trial as tabloid boss reveals plan to buy damaging storiesAlex Woodward and Kelly Rissman report:

The tabloid publisher behind a “catch and kill” scheme to bury compromising stories about Donald Trump testified in court that he previously had a similar arrangement with Hollywood actor turned ex-governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger.

David Pecker, the former publisher of tabloid giant National Enquirer, is testifying for the third day of the former president’s historic criminal trial.

Read on…

Oliver O’Connell25 April 2024 22:45