Jonah BromwichReporting from inside the courthouse
We are seeing emails that, in depth, show the way Robert Costello was positioned in the hubbub of the investigation into Michael Cohen.
As expected, they corroborate prosecutors’ story, suggesting that Costello was manipulating Cohen at the direction of Rudy Giuliani and Trump, while misleading Cohen so that he would not understand what was happening.
May 21, 2024, 9:43 a.m. ET
Jonah BromwichReporting from inside the courthouse
Susan Hoffinger, the prosecutor, asks Robert Costello if an email in which he offers to provide a “back channel” between Trump and Michael Cohen speaks for itself. Costello says it does not because there was more context, and offers to provide that context. “That’s all right,” Hoffinger says, moving on to her next question.
May 21, 2024, 9:46 a.m. ET3 minutes ago3 minutes ago
Maggie HabermanReporting from inside the courthouse
Costello wrote to Cohen that there had been positive comments about him from the White House and that he had “friends in high places.” Hoffinger draws out from Costello that it “definitely referred to President Trump.”
May 21, 2024, 9:40 a.m. ET
Maggie HabermanReporting from inside the courthouse
Hoffinger now reads an email Costello sent to Michael Cohen in which he described his relationship with Giuliani as potentially being “very useful to you.” Giuliani at that point was close with Trump.
