David Pecker, the chairman of National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc., has been given immunity by federal prosecutors who are seeking information about payments arranged by Michael Cohen to women who claimed they had affairs with President Trump, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
Sources told the Journal earlier this week that Pecker was providing details to federal prosecutors, but he's apparently doing so with the promise of immunity, meaning prosecutors won't seek criminal charges against him if he admits wrongdoing. Pecker reportedly helped facilitate the payments that kept porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal from speaking publicly about the alleged relationships ahead of the election, and documents from Cohen's guilty plea show that the payments were made specifically in an effort to "assist" the campaign.
Pecker is a longtime friend of Trump's, who used to publish Trump Style, a quarterly magazine for guests at Trump properties. Now, he's reportedly an important part of the investigation into Cohen, who pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance laws at the "direction" of Trump. Pecker told prosecutors that "one or more members" of the Trump campaign knew about the payments in advance and reportedly discussed Trump's "knowledge of the deals." Trump was recorded speaking to Cohen about whether to make the payments via cash or check. Read more at The Wall Street Journal.
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