David Pecker, former CEO of American Media, Inc., and publisher of the tabloid magazine National Inquirer, altered his testimony on Friday regarding his knowledge of the term 'catch and kill.'
'Catch and kill' is a common term in the tabloid industry that involves purchasing the rights to a story but never publishing it.
During questioning by New York prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, Pecker stated that 'catch and kill' was not a term he associated with former President Donald Trump. He claimed that he first became aware of the term from federal prosecutors.
However, the prosecution referenced a 2016 article in the Wall Street Journal that detailed how the National Inquirer paid for former Playboy model Karen McDougal's story about an alleged affair with Trump. The article specifically mentioned the practice of 'squashing stories,' which is known in the tabloid world as 'catch and kill.'
Following this revelation, Pecker revised his testimony, acknowledging that his initial exposure to the term 'catch and kill' was through press coverage.
