Brazil's president denies authorizing payments to silence politician

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian President Michel Temer on Wednesday denied a report that he had authorized payments to silence a possible witness in the country's biggest-ever graft probe. Temer acknowledged in a prepared statement that he had met in early March with Joesley Batista, the chairman of meatpacker JBS SA , who according to newspaper O Globo recorded a discussion with Temer about hush money for jailed former House Speaker Eduardo Cunha. Temer said his conversation with Batista did not "compromise his conduct" as president. (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer and Christian Plumb; Editing by Sandra Maler)