@GottaLaff NFL
Me as jurist: "Your Honour, I can't work with this! I need a Medium 11.5 x 17.5 cm Moleskin, minimum. Preferably the A4 with elastic closure. And I prefer a #fountainPen to this piece of trash."
Trump appears to be taking notes as Pecker testifies.
Pecker says he had final say over stories, and gave editors a budget of $10K per story to pay for "checkbook journalism." Anything over $10K needed personal approval by Pecker.
Prosecutor: What were editor meetings?
Pecker: I would consider the covers, they were the most important thing. What is the photo on it?
Prosecutor: In the time frame what were the last four digits of your cell phone?
Pecker: 7501
Prosecutor: 01 or 91?
Pecker: 91, sorry. And 5955
NY office: 4899
Florida office: 1221 and two separate emails.
Prosecutor: Are you here under subpoena?
Pecker: Yes.
Pecker is now being questioned about the Enquirer's former editor-in-chief Dylan Howard.
Press:
Prosecutor: Who was Dylan Howard?
Pecker: Chief editor in chief.
Prosecutor: He ran the network of course for AMI?
Pecker: Yes.
Prosecutor: When it came to juicy stories, did he run these by you?
Pecker: Yes. That was a big part of his job.
Prosecutor: What are sources?
Pecker: For us, limousine drivers, people who work for lawyers, like that.
Prosecutor: Where is Dylan Howard now?
Pecker: Australia.
Prosecutor: Does he have health issues?
Trump's lawyer: Objection!
👉🏼Justice Merchan: Overruled. #WompWomp
Prosecutor: Who was Bonny Fuller?
Pecker: We had to compete with her Us Weekly. She was killing us. So I decided to try to hire her.
Justice Merchant: Jurors, we'll end here for the day.
END
NOTE: TOMORROW I CAN ONLY COVER THE EARLIER PART OF THE TRIAL. I HAVE SOMETHING AT ABOUT NOON PACIFIC TIME.
The jurors have been excused for the day just after David Pecker, the former chairman of American Media, home of the National Enquirer, was about to start discussing Bonnie Fuller, the former US Weekly editor who was “killing it.”
But when we return in the morning, Pecker and the world of tabloid journalism won’t be the first order of business. The gag order — and whether Trump should be held in criminal contempt for violating it on 10 occasions — will be.
After jury leaves, Trump's attorney Bove renews an objection about Pecker's testimony about Dylan Howard on relevance and hearsay grounds.
Prosecutors say it is admissible under an exception for witness availability.
"Your objection is noted," Merchan says.
Bove anticipates that prosecutors may invoke AMI's non-prosecution agreement with the SDNY. He says the defense will request a limiting instruction at that time.
The judge requests proposed instructions this afternoon.
@GottaLaff: I thought that they were running short days both Monday and Tuesday this week, so that might be all of it. If not though, I'm sure you'll catch up again after the fact like you always do. 🤓
@goodreedAJ No, they're starting with the contempt, then going into testimony. If they do end early, it won't affect me, because it'll still be after I have to leave.
@GottaLaff: Right, I knew the contempt hearing was first up. Oh well, if you cut off about 1400 ET, folks can switch over to Klasfeld's feed on X for the day if need be. The stuff you pull from his stream is really good.
@GottaLaff NFL, we're going to have to give Laffy a shorthand for questions thrown at her while threading.
Maybe DMMTTP! (DON'T MAKE ME TAP THE SIGN!) 🤔😆