Trump’s closest ally, a key witness in testimony before grand jury Monday. He tried to discredit Michael Cohen’s earlier testimony in a hushmoney probe that could lead the first indictment against a former president.
Robert Costello spoke to reporters after two hours of testimony and said that he had told the truth about the star witness for the New York County District Attorney — that he cannot be trusted.
“If they wish to pursue Donald Trump, and they have strong evidence, then so be it. Costello, Cohen’s former legal advisor, said that Michael Cohen has no solid evidence. “He is completely unreliable.”
Cohen, one of Trump’s attorneys at the time Stormy Daniels was paid, retorted in an interview with Ari Melber, MSNBC: “So many of his statements were untrue.”
Costello, who represented Trump allies Rudy Giuliani, and Steve Bannon, said that he met Cohen in April 2018, when Cohen was being investigated by the FBI for potential crimes. One of these potential crimes is related to the hush-money payment to Daniels. The investigation now focuses on Trump. Daniels claimed that she had an affair, which Trump denied. Cohen paid $130,000 to Cohen to keep her quiet during the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign.
In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty for a federal campaign violation regarding the payment. He said he made it at Trump’s request, and was later paid back.
Costello said to reporters that Cohen told him that he made the payment himself in 2018 when he spoke with Cohen. It was not Trump’s idea. Costello stated that Michael Cohen made the payment on his own.
“I asked him why he would do that. He replied, “Because I wanted this to be kept secret from my wife.” Costello stated that Cohen had borrowed money to pay the loan. Cohen said to him that he didn’t want Melania Trump to know. “I didn’t want my wife knowing.”
Costello stated that he had given over 300 emails concerning Cohen’s conversations, along with notes from discussions with federal prosecutors. Trump was not charged in this case.
Cohen dismissed Costello’s post-testimony comments, claiming that their conversations weren’t as detailed and as complex as Costello claimed them to be.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about.” Cohen claimed that Cohen is making up stories and accusing Trump of trying to “muddy waters”.
Cohen said that Costello had been summoned by Manhattan district attorneys to counter Costello’s testimony, but Cohen told Costello that he was not needed.
Trump praised Costello’s testimony on Sunday on Truth Social, calling him “THE IMPORTANT WITNESS TO GO BEFORE NEW YORK CITY GRAND JURY.”
Costello stated Monday that Trump did not ask him to testify before grand juries and that he did so because he felt an “ethical obligation.”
The interactions between Costello and Cohen were previously described in Robert Mueller’s report about possible obstruction by Trump’s allies in 2016’s election. It was noted that Trump’s April 20th tweet that Cohen would not “flip” and testify against Cohen was followed by Costello sending a supportive email stating that he had spoken to Giuliani.
Cohen was told by Costello that the conversation was very positive. They are there for you. According to the Mueller report, the email stated that you can rest well tonight [because] you have friends high up.”
It appears that the grand jury is in its final stages of investigation.
Trump stated on social media that he expected to be arrested Tuesday. He also called for his supporters to demonstrate.
New York Police officers mounted metal barriers and cameras Monday morning at the courthouse.
A small number of protestors showed up in Lower Manhattan Monday night for a New York Young Republicans-organized demonstration.
Troy Olson, the organization’s sergeant at-arms mocked Trump’s possible charges of felony falsification business records. Olson stated, “After six, seven year of a weaponized systems, all the cultural media outlets of American life against one person, this is what they can come up. “He’s going be leading by more polls after that.”
Vish Burra (Rep. George Santos’ director of operations), was the group’s executive secretary. He said that if Trump is arrested, there will be many upset Americans and that that disappointment and outrage will be well-justified.
A demonstrator stated that Trump supporters were likely feeling intimidated by the low turnout at the rally. It appeared that media members outnumbered the approximately two dozen protesters.
“There is a large silent majority supporting President Trump. It’s more than you realize. Susan Miller, a long-standing MAGA protester, said that they are afraid to speak up. They are afraid that antifa would beat them up. They fear losing their jobs. They fear their landlord will throw them out, or that they’ll be taken into custody.
