The publisher of the National Enquirer has been fined $187,500 by the Federal Election Commission for payments the tabloid made to hide a story about former President Donald Trump’s ex-mistress.
The payments were made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, to buy and then not publish her story, in a “catch and kill” process built to benefit the Trump campaign.
From the New York Post, “The fine was handed down on May 17, 2021, according to Common Cause, a public advocacy group that sought information on the penalties, which released information on the deal between the FEC and A360 Media on Tuesday. A360 Media is the successor company to American Media.”
In the letter to the group, the FEC said the publisher “knowingly and willfully” violated campaign finance laws.
In similar allegations leading up to the election, Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen admitted to making payments to porn star Stormy Daniels to silence her.
Cohen spent a year in prison over the payments that he says he made at Trump’s behest.
Trump has repeatedly denied he had an affair with Daniels or that he was involved.
“Trump masterminded this whole thing, and so far he’s walked,” Common Cause vice president of policy and litigation Paul Ryan told CNBC. “Everyone who carried out his dirty work here, Cohen and AMI, paid penalties and did prison time.”
