NBC NEWS
After days of trying to dismantle Donald Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen’s credibility, the defense began presenting its own case, calling two witnesses that may make up the totality of its presentation.
It was during a defense witness’ testimony that one of the most heated exchanges of the trial erupted. As attorney Robert Costello grumbled and groused, New York state Judge Juan Merchan grew increasingly irate, asking the jury to leave so he could admonish the witness and ultimately clearing the court in Manhattan of reporters and cutting off feeds to the overflow room where the media is assembled.
“If you don’t like my ruling, you don’t give me side eye, and you don’t roll your eyes,” Merchan said before he asked, “Are you staring me down?”
Merchan then ordered the room cleared.
Later, Trump implied Merchan had done so to hand the prosecution a break, telling reporters that the “highly political” and “conflicted” judge “just did something that nobody’s ever seen” after Costello began to impugn “his highly political motive.”
“Nobody’s ever seen anything like this,” Trump added.
Here’s what you missed on Day 19 of Trump’s hush money trial:
Trump’s witnesses seek to undermine Cohen
The defense’s efforts to discredit Cohen didn’t end when he left the stand.
The second witness called — after a paralegal for the defense team who testified about tracking phone calls made by Cohen — was Robert Costello. He is an attorney who Cohen said had offered him a “back channel” to Trump after federal authorities searched Cohen’s home, office and safety deposit box in 2018.
Costello testified that Cohen told him numerous times, “I swear to God, Bob, I don’t have anything on Donald Trump,” and that he paid Stormy Daniels “on his own.”
It wasn’t the first time Costello had provided testimony in this case. He also testified before the grand jury that indicted Trump, at the request of Trump’s defense team. His testimony at that time didn’t persuade the grand jury not to indict.
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