A SECRET tape of Donald Trump supposedly talking about paying hush money to a Playboy bunny was played at his trial in New York last night.
The former President says: “So how much do we have to pay for this? 150?” in the recording made without his knowledge.”
3
3
3
In the tape, Trump tells his former lawyer Michael Cohen that the money must be paid in cash.
Prosecutors say this relates to $150,000 paid to Karen McDougal weeks before the 2016 election to keep quiet about her affair with Trump.
The court heard that Trump feared female voters would abandon him if they found out about the relationship with McDougal, which occurred in 2006 while his wife Melania was pregnant with their son Barron.
Trump, the alleged Republican Presidential candidatedenies 34 counts of corporate fraud in New York court.
Prosecutors allege they were part of a scheme to “corrupt” the 2016 election by hiding their infidelity from voters, including McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels.
The recording was secretly made on September 6, 2016 by Cohen while he was in talks with the American tabloid National Enquirer about purchasing the rights to the story of McDougal, who was Playboy’s Playmate of the Year in 1998.
Before speaking to Cohen, Trump can be heard speaking to someone named “Pam.”
He says, “Maybe it would be better if you didn’t come. That’s why. What they say is so wrong. What a bitch.”
It is unclear what Trump is referring to.
Mr. Cohen comes in and says, “I need to open a company for the transfer of all that information about our friend David, you know, so I’m going to do it right away.”
According to prosecutors, it was a company Cohen was creating to return the $150,000 to the Enquirer, which would pay Ms. McDougal for her story.
In the end he never paid the money.
It is claimed that “our friend David” was referring to David Pecker, who was editor of the Enquirer at the time.
Cohen continues: “I’ve talked to Allen Weisselberg about how to set everything up,” referring to the man who at the time was chief financial officer of The Trump Organization, Trump’s real estate business.
Trump responds: “So how much do we have to pay for this? 150?”
Mr. Cohen responds: “Yes. And that’s it.”
SILENT MONEY ‘TAPE’
On the tape there are conversations between the two men and it is not clear who Trump is referring to when he says: “Maybe he got hit by a truck.”
Mr. Cohen says, “Right. I’m over it. And I talked to Allen about it, when it comes time for funding, which will be…”
Interrupting, Trump says, “Listen, what funding?”
When Cohen says they’ll “have to pay him something,” Trump chimes in: “Pay cash.”
To reassure him, Mr. Cohen says, “No, no, no, no, no, I got it.”
THREAT OF PRISON
Trump faces years in prison if convicted.
He also faces three other criminal trials, one of them for electoral interference, which will begin in August in Georgia.
Trump denies all charges.
Evidence presented in court included texts between Cohen and Keith Davidson, the attorney who represented Daniels.
She received a $130,000 payment from Cohen days before the 2016 election to keep quiet about her sexual relationships with Trump.
In a January 2018 message, Cohen wrote to Davidson complaining about the title of Daniels’ US tour.
He wrote: “And why did he do that Make America Horny Again tour… fun but bad timing.”
So how much do we have to pay for this? 150?
donald trump
Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again.”
The “bad timing” Cohen referred to was that just over a week earlier, the Wall Street Journal first reported the existence of the $130,000 payment to Ms. Daniels.
Mr. Davidson responded that it was “scheduled months ago.”
He wrote, “The local strip club in South Carolina marketed it and named it.”
Judge Juan Merchán addressed Trump at the beginning of the day and told him he could testify.
A gag order prohibiting him from making extrajudicial comments about the jury, witnesses and court staff did not stop the former president from saying whatever he wanted from the witness stand, the judge said.
Judge Merchan appeared to be responding to Trump’s comments the night before by saying, “I’m not allowed to testify.”