During Michael Cohen’s testimony in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial, he discussed a series of 2018 exchanges with a lawyer named Robert Costello. Cohen spoke to Costello about an FBI raid and investigation that led to his guilty plea to federal charges later that year. Emails shown in court depicted Costello as a back channel of communication for Cohen, someone who could relay messages to Trump via his attorney Rudy Giuliani. Cohen stated that Costello was the link between him, Giuliani, and Trump.
Costello, who recently received a call from Trump’s lead attorney, Todd Blanche, indicated that he may be called as a witness in the trial. Costello said that there was no commitment made during his conversation with Blanche and that it was not witness preparation. However, Costello expressed his belief that he might be called by the defense. He appeared before the grand jury investigating Trump at the request of Trump’s attorneys and sought to discredit Cohen with his testimony.
Cohen’s testimony and Costello’s involvement come in the midst of Trump’s indictment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges are related to reimbursements made to Cohen for a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had a sexual encounter with Trump. Trump pleaded not guilty and has denied the encounter with Daniels. He claims the prosecution was politically motivated. Costello is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government and plans to introduce exculpatory information that he was unable to bring before the grand jury in 2023, although he did not specify the details.
Overall, the interactions between Cohen, Costello, and Trump’s legal team reveal a complex web of communications and relationships that played a role in the events leading up to Trump’s criminal trial. Costello’s potential witness testimony and the introduction of new information before Congress suggest that there may be more revelations to come in the ongoing legal proceedings. The trial, including Cohen’s testimony and Costello’s involvement, sheds light on the intricate dynamics within Trump’s inner circle and the legal strategies being employed by both the prosecution and defense. As the trial progresses, further developments may clarify the extent of Costello’s role and shed light on the motivations behind his actions in relation to Cohen and Trump.
