Fake News and Failed Friendships : An Analysis of Trump , Pecker , and the National Enquirer
Congressional Committees issued subpoenas for Michael Cohen to appear before them soon after Cohen canceled testifying voluntarily because of threats to his family from President Trump . Pecker reached a plea agreement with the Federal Government , which granted him immunity from prosecution providing he committed no other crimes for 3 years . Although articles in the Enquirer praising Trump ceased , Pecker could not help expressing his loyalty to Trump in other ways . When Rush Limbaugh lambasted the president for caving in on building a wall on the Mexican border , The Enquirer ’ s sister publication , the Globe , ran a front cover story dredging up all the old dirt on Limbaugh , including his opioid addiction . Commenting on this story , Peter Sheridan of the online website Boing Boing noted that if you rolled up a copy of the Globe in the “ shape of a sea shell , and hold it to your ear , you can hear the sound of President Trump screaming ” ( para . 1 ). Sheridan warned there was more to come from “ Trump mouthpieces like the Globe and the Enquirer ” ( para . 1 ).
Jeff Bezos , owner of Amazon and The Washington Post , wrote an article for MEDIUM . com , a blog post , entitled “ No Thank You Mr . Pecker ” on February 7 , 2019 . Bezos charged that the Enquirer had , “ Made him an offer I couldn ’ t refuse ” ( para . 1 ). Bezos presented copies of emails from Howard Dylan , the Enquirer ’ s chief content officer , describing intimate photos of Bezos and Lauren Sanchez . Bezos ’ provided other emails from the Enquirer ’ s lawyer spelling out the quid pro quo . The Enquirer would not publish the photos , if Bezos called off his investigation of how the incriminating emails and photos were obtained and publicly stated that he believed the actions of the Enquirer were not politically motivated . The Southern District of New York U . S . attorney ’ s office is reviewing whether the alleged extortion violated the nonprosecution agreement . If the agreement is nullified , Pecker
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