Details of Donald Trump's alleged affair with former Playboy model Karen McDougal were revealed in court Tuesday, as salacious details were revealed as his son, Eric, sat feet behind him.
The proceedings for the former President's hush money criminal trial continued today, with at least three witnesses having taking the stand. Trump's son Eric also joined his father in court today, marking the first time any of the former president's family members have attended the trial.
Keith Davidson, McDougal's former attorney, testified that he couldn't precisely recall the duration of the alleged affair of Trump with the model, but suggested it lasted "several weeks to months, if not more."
The 1998 Playmate of the Year claims she engaged in a 10-month relationship with Trump starting in 2006, after meeting him during the filming of a Celebrity Apprentice episode at the Playboy mansion. The jury at the New York court heard last week that the National Enquirer tabloid publisher paid McDougal $150,000 (£120,000) to conceal the affair.
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Trump walks to the courtroom during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Davidson also represented adult film star Stormy Daniels in hush money negotiations. Daniels allegedly received $130,000 (£104,000) from Trump to keep quiet about her alleged one-time sexual encounter with him before the 2016 presidential election. Trump has denied the affairs with both Daniels and McDougal.
Davidson is known for representing people trying to sell celebrity sex tapes or other embarrassing information. In his court testimony, he described representing McDougal in her allegations of an affair with Trump.
As questioning turned toward Davidson’s involvement in some of the hush money deals at the heart of the former president's criminal trial, he said he met McDougal 25 years ago through a friend. He said he started representing in 2016 "to provide advice and counsel as to what her rights and obligations would be regarding a personal interaction that she had."
Karen McDougal in 2007 - The ex-Playboy model had an affair with Donald Trump for 'months', her lawyer said (Getty Images)
Karen McDougal in 2010 - She was Playboy Playmate of the Year 1998 (Getty Images North America)"With whom?" prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked. "Donald Trump," he replied. Shortly after Davidson began representing McDougal, he said, he reached out to Dylan Howard, the editor-in-chief of the National Enquirer, promising a "blockbuster Trump story."
Howard replied soon after: "I will get you more than ANYONE for it. You know why." As the text messages were displayed on screens to the jury, Davidson testified that he didn’t know exactly what Howard meant at the time. But, he noted, "I knew that Dylan’s boss David Pecker and Mr. Trump were longtime friends and had a former business relationship," he said, adding the tabloid had effectively "endorsed Mr. Trump’s candidacy."
Pecker, former CEO of American Media Inc, was called to the witness stand Friday. He told the court that his company, which published the Enquirer, had purchased McDougal story with the intention of suppressing it for Trump's campaign.
Donald Trump has denied ever having an affair with Karen McDougal (Karen McDougal/Twitter)
Hugh Hefner poses with, left to right, Kalin Olson, Carrie Stevens, Deanna Brooks and Karen McDougal in 2000 (Getty Images)For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US
After tipping off the National Enquirer editor about "a blockbuster Trump story," he soon arranged a meeting with that editor, McDougal and others to see whether the Enquirer's then-parent company was interested. After flying back to New York, Howard told him the Enquirer wasn’t keen "because Karen McDougal lacked documentary evidence of the interaction," Davidson testified.
A month later, Enquirer editor Dylan Howard reached out again to Davidson, suggesting they resume discussions. At the time, Davidson warned that the Enquirer's parent company would need to move quickly, writing in one text: "Time is of the essence. The girl is being cornered by the estrogen mafia" Davidson testified that McDougal was "teetering" at the time he sent the message and on the verge of signing a deal to tell her story to ABC News.
Davidson also testified that he played the National Enquirer and ABC News against each other to get the best deal for his client. McDougal didn’t want to tell her story publicly, which would’ve been required if she went to ABC, he said.
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