Defense attorneys begin cross-examination of David Pecker [Video]

Lawyers for Donald Trump on Thursday afternoon began the cross-examination of former National Enquirer David Pecker, the first witness to testify in Trump’s New York criminal hush money trial.

The questioning began near the end of the Pecker’s third day on the witness stand in the historic trial, where he has been grilled by Manhattan prosecutors about his participation in “catch and kill” schemes to benefit Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Earlier Thursday, however, Pecker said he refused to pay porn star Stormy Daniels for her story of allegedly having sex with Trump years earlier.

Pecker testified that he declined a request by Trump’s then-attorney Michael Cohen to kill Daniels’ story by acquiring it for $120,000 and then burying it.

“I am …