Robert Costello, an attorney connected with Michael Cohen, will resume his testimony today on the witness stand after yesterday’s contentious exchange with the judge.
Costello, who is a witness for the defense, was admonished by Judge Juan Merchan after he audibly complained when the judge sustained objections to the questions he was being asked.
Costello has been brought up numerous times during the trial, including Monday, when Donald Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche asked Cohen to confirm instances in which the two communicated and met.
Costello testified on May 15 in front of a House Judiciary subcommittee and consistently criticized Cohen, saying “virtually every statement” Cohen made on the stand about Costello was a lie. Following the testimony, Trump’s team reached out to Costello.
Costello previously appeared as the only defense witness before the grand jury investigating the case in March 2023.
Trump’s attorneys called Costello as a way to try to rebut Cohen’s testimony about the pressure he was receiving in 2018 when the FBI searched his home and office.
Costello advised Cohen in the weeks after the search, though Cohen did not sign a retainer agreement and did not pay Costello, who touted in email communications his close connections with Rudy Giuliani. The former New York mayor also joined Trump’s legal team in 2018.
Read more about Costello’s testimony yesterday in the Trump trial.
CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell contributed reporting to this post.
