Pecker paid $30,000 to buy ‘illegitimate girl’ story to avoid embarrassing Trump campaign
Judge Merchan has overruled the defense’s hearsay objection, and Joshua Steinglass resumes his line of questioning.
The court is introduced to the name Dino Sajudin, who David Pecker says was the doorman at Trump Tower.
“Dino was in the market, selling a story that Donald Trump fathered an illegitimate girl with a maid at Trump Tower and may have worked in Mr Trump’s penthouse,” Mr Pecker says.
“I immediately called Michael Cohen and told him exactly what I was told.
“I gave the name of the housekeeper in the penthouse and asked him to verify it first with the Trump Organization payroll.”
Mr Pecker says Cohen told him: “Absolutely not true, but I’ll check it out.”
Cohen called him back after verifying two names on the payroll and checking out the story.
Mr Pecker says he told the editor of the National Enquirer, Dylan Howard, to buy the story and “take it off the market”.
He says he discussed the price, $30,000, with Cohen and agreed to pay.
“Cohen said thank you very much and he said that the boss was very pleased and that meant Donald Trump,” says Mr. Pecker.
Mr Steinglass asks: “Prior to this arrangement to purchase this story from Dino, had you ever paid a source to kill a story about Donald Trump?”
Mr. Pecker responded: “No, I didn’t.”
He says he agreed with Michael Cohen that he would hold the story until it was verified.
Investigators found the story was completely untrue, Mr. Pecker says.
“I made the decision to buy the story because it could have been embarrassing to the campaign and Mr. Trump.”
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