Benzinga - by Chris Katje, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Testimony began Monday in the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump, which selected jurors last week.
Here's a look at the first key witness and what was said.
What Happened: Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker was a key witness on the first day of testimony Monday as Trump's hush money trial began.
According to NBC News, Pecker is a Trump ally, who played a key role in the alleged hush money payment to adult actress Stormy Daniels. As a friend of Trump, Pecker may have helped cover up stories about the former president.
The prosecutors in the case allege that Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen met with Pecker in 2015 to discuss how negative stories could be prevented from being published during a meeting at the Trump Tower.
Pecker's relationship with former National Enquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard was among the key points during his testimony.
Howard's job was "to make sure we got the most exclusive and current content," Pecker said.
Pecker said the National Enquirer practiced what he called "checkbook journalism."
"We used checkbook journalism and we paid for stories. I gave a number to the editors that they could not spend more than $10,000 to investigate, produce or publish a story."
Pecker was previously granted immunity by federal prosecutors in the investigation against Cohen.
During opening statements, Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche appealed to the jurors being from New York.
"Listen, use your common sense. We're New Yorkers, it's why we're here," Blanche said.
Blanche said that Daniels is "biased against Donald Trump."
"I'm going to say something else about her testimony, and this is important: It doesn't matter. Her testimony while salacious, does not matter."
Blanche said Daniels made up the allegations, seeing a way to make a lot of money.
Blanche also took on Cohen in his opening statement, telling jurors he previously lied under oath and questioned his credibility as a witness.
"He has talked extensively about his desire to see President Trump go to prison."
Blanche also argued that trying to impact and election is not illegal.
"I have a spoiler alert: There's nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It's called democracy."
Trump's lawyer stated the former president did nothing wrong and used the term "pre-COVID" to try and illustrate how long ago the allegations took place.
Related Link: Trump Hush Money Trial Has 12 Jurors: Here Are The 7 Men, 5 Women To Decide Former President’s Fate
What's Next: The prosecution's opening statements centered on "penny-pincher" Trump who is a "frugal businessman" but willing to pay extra when it comes to covering up affairs.
The lawyers said Cohen's testimony, key emails, texts, phone logs and business documents will be used to show that Trump is guilty in the case.
"And it will be backed up by Donald Trump's own words on tape, in social media posts, in his own books, and in videos of his own speeches," Matthew Colangelo said.
Colangelo called the events "an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of a presidential election."
"This case is about criminal conspiracy."
The opening statement from Colangelo said Trump and Cohen worked on covering up payments that may have influenced the 2016 election.
Jurors in the case have been instructed by Judge Juan Merchan not to research the case or hear news on the trial. Instead, the jurors are instructed on making their decision based only on evidence from the trial.
The trial resumes Tuesday and will conclude at 2 p.m. ET for members of the trial and jurors to mark Passover.
Trump is expected to meet with former Japanese Prime Minster Taro Aso on Tuesday.
The former president spoke to media outside the courtroom Monday.
"It's a case as to bookkeeping which is a very minor thing in terms of the law, in terms of all the violent crime," Trump said. "This is a case in which you pay a lawyer and they call it a legal expense in the books."
Trump said he had nothing to do with the things that previously got Cohen into trouble.
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This illustration was generated using artificial intelligence via MidJourney.
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