Costello’s testimony at Trump’s trial continued on Tuesday as he sought to discredit Cohen’s testimony about a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Costello, a former federal prosecutor known for his work with Giuliani, approached Cohen in 2018 offering to represent him and use his ties to Giuliani to communicate with Trump. However, Cohen testified he never fully trusted Costello and did not disclose the full truth about the payment to him.
Costello claimed Cohen lied under oath during his testimony and described a 2018 meeting where he said Cohen was “absolutely manic.” He testified that Cohen told him Trump was unaware of the payments, contradicting Cohen’s testimony. Despite this, Costello’s behavior on the stand, including eye-rolling and remarks to the judge, led to him being admonished by Judge Merchan for his lack of decorum and threats of contempt.
Costello’s background includes serving as an assistant U.S. attorney and working in private practice for over 30 years. He currently works as a partner at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP and has represented various high-profile clients, including Giuliani, George Steinbrenner, and Leona Helmsley. Costello sued Giuliani for unpaid legal fees, leading to Giuliani declaring bankruptcy and expressing personal hurt over the situation.
The defense’s final witness could be Costello, as a planned expert witness backed out and the possibility of Trump testifying remains uncertain. The trial is moving towards closing arguments next week, with Trump facing 34 felony charges related to falsification of business records for reimbursing Cohen for the Daniels payment. Cohen’s testimony has been central to the trial, with Costello and Trump’s legal team seeking to discredit him and his character throughout the proceedings.
The ongoing trial revolves around Trump’s involvement in the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels and the scheme to reimburse Cohen for it. Cohen initially stayed loyal to Trump but later pleaded guilty to various charges, including campaign finance crimes related to the payment. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, and the trial has seen intense scrutiny of both Cohen’s and Costello’s testimonies. The outcome of the trial and the credibility of the witnesses involved will likely have significant implications for Trump and his legal defense.
