New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman said Robert Costello’s actions in former President Trump’s hush-money scandal reinforced “mob-like” behavior around the former president.
Haberman joined a CNN panel on Tuesday to discuss the record the court released when the judge had a disagreement with Costello, former legal adviser to former President Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen.
Haberman said Costello’s actions on the stand were “part of what the prosecution is alleging here, which is that there is some sort of mob-like aspect to this incident and a lot of President Trump’s actions.” He claimed that this proves that.
“It doesn’t seem to help the defense,” she said in a comment. Highlighted by Mediaite.
On Monday, just minutes after Mr. Costello took the witness stand in Mr. Trump’s criminal case, Judge Juan Machan asked jurors to leave the courtroom to reprimand Mr. Costello for his actions.
The two sides shared a tense moment, and reporters were also asked to leave the courtroom. Marchan told Costello that his behavior was “condescending” and that if he tried to “glare at me again” he would remove him from the witness stand.
Costello reportedly asked if he could respond, but Marchan said no, saying “this is not a conversation.”
Haberman said Costello’s time on the witness stand did not look good for the defense and why many in President Trump’s world argued it was risky to call Costello as a witness. insisted.
She said she expected Trump to anger Marchan during the former president’s trial, which is under a gag order, and that she didn’t expect Costello to anger Marchan so much, but added that “it’s not at all surprising because anyone who’s ever done business with Bob Costello knows he can be a wild card.”
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