Michael Cohen’s onetime legal adviser is expected to testify before a grand jury examining if Trump broke any laws when indirectly paying off Stormy Daniels.
Michael Cohen’s onetime legal adviser is expected to testify Monday before a grand jury weighing whether President Donald Trump committed any crimes when indirectly paying off adult-film star Stormy Daniels — a development that appears aimed at discrediting a key prosecution witness.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been examining a $130,000 payment that Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, said he made before the 2016 election that he said was to ensure Daniels’ silence about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump. Trump has denied the affair but has admitted he reimbursed Cohen for the payment to Daniels, which Trump said was made “to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her.”
Cohen’s former adviser, Robert Costello, said he was asked by Bragg’s team to appear in front of the grand jury panel in Lower Manhattan on Monday afternoon — but Costello noted the request originally came from Trump’s legal team. Under New York law, those expecting to be indicted can ask for witnesses to appear before grand juries on their behalf.
The fact that Costello is a witness requested by the defense suggests that Trump’s lawyers believe he could muddy Cohen’s account of events surrounding the Daniels payment and the reimbursement. Costello previously told federal investigators from the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan about his discussions with Cohen, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation.
Federal prosecutors charged Cohen in connection with the Daniels payments but did not charge Trump.
Cohen waived attorney-client privilege in 2019, Costello said, freeing him to tell investigators about their conversations.
