Another wild day in the hush money trial. How I wish we could see these proceedings televised. This newspaper-level coverage just isn’t conveying the same experience as photo journalism could bring us. But, alas, we do what we can with what we have to work with. Robert Costello was a Trump witness and a former legal advisor to Michael Cohen, was called to the stand. His testimony was somewhat fitful as he didn’t like the sustained objections and his reaction to them was bizarre, to say the very least. Here’s Newsweek’s description of what happened at 4:06 p.m.:
Robert Costello repeatedly gets frustrated while on the witness stand.
After another sustained objection, Costello says loudly, “Jeez!” Judge Juan Merchan is heard responding, “I’m sorry?”
Costello says Cohen wanted him to ask Rudy Giuliani about how the investigation began, if it was referred from D.C., how it got to SDNY, etc.
After more sustained objections, Costello blows raspberries. Merchan calls for a break, asks jury to step out. He tells Costello, firmly, to remain seated.
Merchan used the opportunity to discipline Costello.
“Mr. Costello… I’d like to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom. As a witness on the stand, if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t say ‘jeez!’ and then you don’t say, ‘strike it’ because I’m the only one who can strike testimony in the court. If you don’t like my ruling, you don’t give my side eye or roll your eyes.”
Costello says he understands, but then Merchan erupts, “Are you staring me down?!”
“Get out of the courtroom,” the judge orders.
Costello is a former prosecutor turned defense lawyer. There’s no way he does not know that this kind of behavior in a court of law is strictly forbidden. One can only assume that he’s doing it for MAGA Theatre. Here’s Trump outside afterwards, calling the judge a tyrant — another misstep, but you can’t tell these people.
Trump: You saw what we saw. That was an incredible — I've never seen anything like it in my life. A tyrant. And everyone is talking about it. pic.twitter.com/cNSsBiKIBx
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 20, 2024
Now here is where this travesty is quite possibly a blessing. Neil Katyal believes that this circus in the court today would give the prosecution a good reason to call for a retrial in the event of a hung jury. That’s the gift, here, that Costello may have given the prosecution.
It was surprising that Costello was called to the stand in the first place.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger says the DA’s office doesn’t think Costello’s testimony should be admissible, but if it is admitted, it should be limited. She argues that the defense is not entitled to elicit Costello’s opinions about Cohen’s credibility.
Trump attorney Emil Bove argues that Costello’s testimony would rebut the government’s argument that there was a pressure campaign from Trump. He says defense put in notice days ago, “There’s not mystery here.”
“Of course, I’m not going to elicit Mr. Costello’s opinion of Mr. Cohen’s credibility.”
Bove argues that “It’s not collateral at all” and that Costello’s testimony would go to the “heart” of the government’s theory.
Hoffinger says the defense did not put Costello on its witness list. Bove argues that Costello will be able to provide “direct evidence of perjury” regarding Cohen.
Maybe when he returns to the stand tomorrow. The prosecution locked down all of Cohen’s commentary with point by point documentary evidence, so suddenly finding evidence of perjury is going to be a neat trick. I don’t doubt that Costello will try it, but I do doubt he will succeed. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy week.
Does that dumb s.o.b. trump STILL not realize the judge in a courtroom is the boss in that courtroom? Costello ought to know better, perhaps does, but decided to piss in the judge’s wheaties anyway–not a smart move. Even if the judge is reluctant to throw dingle berry’s ass in jail for contempt, although I do not understand why not, I seriously doubt he would have any problem throwing Costello into the pokey.
I am once again astounded that the only people dingle berry attracts are idiots. Putting aside for the moment that his unwillingness to pay his bills might keep the big firms from representing him in court, some not so big firms/names might look at this as an opportunity to get their name out there and yet there is no line of competent legal counsel lining up to represent his fool ass. I would say any competent legal talent doesn’t want to be anywhere near trump and his trials-not for money, not for fame-because what representing this fool would do to their reputation–shred it.
Maybe he was trying for a mistrial.