Lindsey Graham Confronted on Enquirer's 'Catch and Kill' Plot to Help Trump

Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, was confronted by CNN's State of the Union host Dana Bash on Sunday morning about the testimony of former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial.

Bash asked the senator about his concerns about the so-called "catch and kill" arrangement Pecker had with the former president to help stop negative stories about Trump from coming out ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

"You know, apparently a lot of people do this. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tiger Woods, I think the whole thing is a crock," Graham, a Trump ally, said. "The statute of limitations has long shutout the misdemeanor cases. So, this liberal prosecutor in Manhattan came up with a federal campaign violation that the Southern District of New York looked at, the Federal Elections Commission looked at, and [Department of Justice special counsel] Jack Smith looked at, and decided not to prosecute."

The senator added: "Alvin Bragg took a case rejected by the federal government to resurrect these misdemeanors as a political hit job on Trump six months before the [2024] election."

In response, Bash said, "Obviously, Tiger Woods is not running for president and the allegation is about campaigns."

Graham chuckled and added, "Yeah, I got it. But I think the whole thing's B.S. Political B.S."

Newsweek reached out to Graham's office for additional comment Sunday morning. This article will be updated with any provided statements.

Context

Earlier this month, Trump became the first former president in U.S. history to stand trial in a criminal case. Following an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, Trump was indicted in March 2023 on charges of falsifying business records relating to hush money Michael Cohen, Trump's then-attorney and "fixer," paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels had alleged she had an affair with Trump in 2006, which he has denied. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all charges and said the case against him is politically motivated.

Pecker, the former head of America Media Inc. (AMI), which owns the National Enquirer, was the first witness to take the stand where he discussed setting up an arrangement to help stop negative stories about Trump from coming out ahead of the election.

While under oath, Pecker said he had concerns about the legality of performing a so-called "catch and kill" by paying Playboy model Karen McDougal $180,000 to keep a story about an alleged affair between her and the former president from coming out.

Pecker also testified that he entered into a similar deal with Schwarzenegger in 2003 and that he helped Woods in 2007.

Prosecutors argue that Trump, Pecker, and Cohen "orchestrated a cover-up to interfere" with the 2016 presidential election by concealing negative information about Trump from becoming public.

What We Know

Election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder suggested that Pecker's testimony had "spelled out the scheme to hide Trump's tawdry conduct."

"Trump might say he was worried about Melania, but Pecker underscored the DA's charge that influencing voters was very much behind the whole catch-and-kill plot," Goldfeder previously told Newsweek.

Following Thursday's proceedings, Trump described Pecker's testimony as "amazing."

"Today was breathtaking in this room...an amazing testimony," he told reporters outside the court. "This is a trial that should've never happened, this is a case that should've never been filed, and it was really an incredible, an incredible day."

What's Next?

Gary Farro, Cohen's former banker, took the stand late Friday afternoon and will resume his testimony when court resumes next week.

Farro, then senior managing director at First Republic Bank, said Friday he was selected as Cohen's banker because "of my knowledge and ability to handle clients many people find challenging."

He added that Cohen told him he worked for the former president and that he was "very excited to be working for him."