#Pecker suggested that #MichaelCohen buy #StormyDaniels's story, leading to the #HushMoney deal, repayments & records at issue.

The prosecution’s discussion of the deal w/ #KarenMcDougal —brokered in summer 2016— demonstrated that the payment was part of a #conspiracy to #influence that year’s #election.

Pecker said that McDougal’s payment was disguised as a contract for services, to avoid violating #CampaignFinance #laws.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference #CatchAndKill

#Steinglass drills into a critical element of the prosecution's case: that these payments to #KarenMcDougal were made to #influence the #election.

#Pecker confidently identifies exhibits that corroborate his story about McDougal.

Pecker admits straightforwardly that he didn't "want this story to embarrass Mr. Trump or embarrass or hurt the campaign."

The testimony neatly establishes that #Trump knowingly violated #CampaignFinance laws.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference

Despite #Pecker's assertions that he structured the deal w/ #KarenMcDougal to avoid violating #CampaignFinance #law, his company later admitted doing just that in its 2018 non-prosecution agreement w/ federal prosecutors.

The #jurors are carefully looking at screens on which the evidence - the contract, text exchanges - is being displayed.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #GagOrder #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney