During testimony before the House Weaponization Committee on Capitol Hill, attorney Robert Costello revealed that former Trump attorney Michael Cohen told him that the former president had no involvement in the hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels. Costello, who advised Cohen after his federal charges in 2018, shared details of a conversation with Cohen in which Cohen expressed suicidal thoughts and desperation after being indicted. Costello suggested to Cohen that he could avoid legal trouble if he cooperated against Trump, but Cohen insisted he had no damaging information on Trump, stating this multiple times. Costello recounted Cohen’s extreme distress, including thoughts of suicide, as pressure mounted from the upcoming criminal case.
In addition to the details of his conversation with Cohen about Trump, Costello also disclosed his role in a non-disclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels. Cohen had informed Costello that he was approached by Daniels’ attorney, who threatened to reveal an alleged sexual encounter with Trump unless he purchased her silence. Cohen decided to handle the situation privately, negotiating a $130,000 payment in exchange for the NDA. According to Costello’s testimony, Cohen claimed Trump had no knowledge of the payment, and that the money did not come from Trump, but from a HELOC loan. Costello’s account aligns with Cohen’s testimony during Trump’s trial, where he claimed he sought to conceal the payment from his wife and was reimbursed $420,000, with Trump’s awareness of the reimbursements.
Costello emphasized that Cohen repeatedly denied having any truthful information to implicate Trump, despite the opportunities presented to him to eliminate his own legal troubles. He described Cohen’s current actions as part of a “revenge tour” against Trump, attributing them to feelings of blame for the loss of his law license and his incarceration. Costello portrayed Cohen as an unreliable witness, accusing him of lying when it suits his interests and telling the truth only when it benefits him personally. However, Cohen maintains that the payment to Daniels was made at the direction of Trump, and he insists that the truth of the matter is documented in possession of the DANY.
Costello’s testimony sheds light on the dynamics between Cohen, Trump, and the legal proceedings that have unfolded. He suggested that Cohen’s motivation for handling the Daniels payment discreetly was linked to his ambitions to work in the Trump administration post-election. Costello highlighted Cohen’s initial denial of any information incriminating Trump, despite the potential benefits of cooperating against his former boss. He also questioned Cohen’s credibility, drawing on his past interactions with him and labeling him as a “serial liar.” Cohen, for his part, maintains that his actions were carried out with Trump’s knowledge and direction, and that the truth of the situation will be revealed through legal documents.
As Cohen’s testimony continues in Trump’s trial, the contradictory narratives presented by Costello and Cohen further complicate the already convoluted legal proceedings. Costello’s portrayal of Cohen as a self-serving individual seeking revenge against Trump conflicts with Cohen’s assertion that he was acting on Trump’s orders in handling the payment to Daniels. The details shared in Costello’s testimony underscore the complex relationships and motivations at play in the interactions between Cohen, Trump, and their legal representatives. As the trial progresses, Judge Juan Merchan presides over the proceedings, facing the challenge of navigating the conflicting testimonies and evidence presented by the parties involved.
