Robert Costello, a former legal advisor to Michael Cohen, testified Monday before a grand jury that Cohen’s testimony against former President Donald Trump was unreliable.
Costello said Monday that Michael Cohen was lying about almost everything. Costello spoke on Fox News’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Monday night.
Costello stated, “It was obvious to me that Manhattan DA’s Office did not want the truth to be revealed.” He also claimed that he had “gotten his point across” regardless.
Costello said he contacted the authorities involved when he saw televised coverage of Cohen discussing his testimony before the grand jury. According to Costello, the testimony Cohen described was “contrary to what he told [Costello and Costello’s colleagues]” in 2018.
Costello stated, “I don’t represent Donald Trump but I stand for justice and I believe I have a legal duty to inform both sides.”
Costello told Carlson that he had prepared materials for the Department of Justice in 2019 on Cohen’s representation. These materials were sent to Donald Trump’s lawyer as well as to the Manhattan DA’s Office.
“I wouldn’t touch a witness like Michael Cohen for any amount of money. You simply cannot rely upon this guy,” Costello said. Costello added that he formerly served as deputy chief of the criminal division for the U.S. attorney’s office of the Southern District of New York.
Costello displayed what he claimed was a waiver of attorney-client privilege signed by Cohen. He also noted that Cohen had “gone on another station” Monday, denying he had signed it.
Costello was called before the Manhattan grand jury Monday for two hours. He testified in a case against Donald Trump over a 2016 hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. Costello represented Cohen in 2018, in a case that involved this payment and other matters.
Costello said Cohen told him he was suicidal when they first met. In addition, Costello says Cohen repeatedly told Costello and colleagues that he had “nothing” on Donald Trump, despite the fact that giving up such information if it existed, might absolve Cohen of some of the legal troubles he was facing.
“When you are willing to give your life in order to avoid these legal problems, and they’re not insurmountable, and you’re offered an escape route, it’s definitely easier to give up information about Donald Trump than to kill yourself.”
“‘Guys, I want you to know I will do whatever the F I’ve got to do,'” Costello said, quoting Michael Cohen. Costello, describing his interaction with Cohen, said Cohen “paced like a wild tiger.”
Costello stated, in characterizing Cohen’s words, “What he’s stating is that ‘I’ll lie, cheat, steal and shoot somebody.”
Cohen pleaded guilty in December 2018 to several charges including one related to Stormy Daniels payments. He was sentenced to three-year imprisonment. These charges include tax evasion and making false statements to a federally-insured bank. Cohen pleaded guilty to making false statements before the U.S. Congress. He was sentenced to a concurrent two-month sentence.
Costello replied, “Weak to say the least,” when Costello was asked about his general assessment of the case against Donald Trump.
