Source: Lawyer invited to testify before Trump’s grand jury

WASHINGTON — A lawyer who previously advised Michael Cohen, the government’s key witness in the Donald Trump silent payment investigation, was set to appear Monday before a Manhattan grand jury considering potential charges against the former president. , according to a person familiar with the matter.

Robert Costello had advised Cohen before the two fell out and is ready to testify before the grand jury attacking the credibility of Cohen’s statements, according to the person, who insisted on anonymity to discuss secret court proceedings.

Costello had contacted a Trump lawyer saying he had information that contradicted Cohen’s current statements and could be exculpatory for Trump, the person said. The attorney brought him to the attention of the district attorney’s office, which last week subpoenaed Costello’s law firm for records and invited him to testify Monday afternoon.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on Sunday. Prosecutors did not say when they expected to conclude their work or when or if Trump could be charged. The former president claimed in a message on Saturday that he would be arrested on Tuesday, although people close to him later said he had not received any updates from prosecutors.

The New York Times first reported on Costello’s expected grand jury appearance.

Cohen is a former Trump lawyer and fixer who was a key witness in District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation, meeting regularly with prosecutors and appearing before the grand jury earlier this month.

Cohen served time in prison after pleading guilty in 2018 to federal charges, including campaign finance violations, for arranging payments to porn actor Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal to keep them from becoming public. Trump denied the cases.

Costello is a seasoned New York lawyer who has represented Trump allies, including his adviser Steve Bannon and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Costello’s connection to Cohen was highlighted in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which investigated Russia’s ties to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign as well as efforts to obstruct the investigation. .

According to the Mueller report, Cohen began speaking with Costello in April 2018, days after the FBI raided Cohen’s home, hotel room and office. Amid public speculation about whether Cohen would start cooperating with investigators, Costello emailed Cohen reassuring him that he had a “very, very positive” conversation with Giuliani and that “you have friends highly placed”.

Cohen waived his attorney-client privilege with Costello, which would allow Costello to describe their conversations, the person said.