This morning, more testimony from the witness.
The judge nearly kicked off the stand,
Robert Costello called by the defense to rebut the testimony
of key prosecution witness Michael Cohen.
Costello describing how he briefly advised a panic stricken Cohen
after the FBI raided his home in office in 2018,
saying he told Donald Trump's former fixer to come clean
with prosecutors,
but testified that Cohen told him.
I swear to God, Bob,
I don't have anything on Donald Trump.
A line that runs directly contrary to Cohens testimony at
this trial that Mister Trump directed Cohen to pay off
a porn star ahead of the 2016 election to protect
his campaign, and then created a phony paper trail to
cover it all up,
which the former president denies.
We did nothing wrong, and I want to get back
to campaigning.
I'm representing millions and millions,
hundreds of millions of people.
But it was Costello's demeanor,
audibly muttering as the judge sustained numerous objections to his
testimony that led to an explosive courtroom confrontation.
Judge Juan Marshawn sending the jury out of the room
telling Costello you don't give me side eye.
Things only escalating from there.
The judge saying quote are you staring me down right
now?
Ordering the courtroom cleared reporters let out into the hallway.
Cohen told jurors he never trusted Costello and didn't give
him the full story at the time.
But on cross exam, Cohen was forced to acknowledge he
stole 10s of thousands of dollars from the Trump Organization
by seeking reimbursement for more than he was owed.
At one point outside court,
this video shared on Mr.
Trump's social media account, drawing attention what happens after Donald
Trump wins.
The 32nd clip still up this morning using a term
associated with Jeremy's Nazi government,
referring to the creation of a unified Reich among fictionalized
newspaper headlines covering a Trump victory in November.
Now when asked about that post online,
the Trump campaign said, quote,
this was not a campaign video.
It was created by a random account online and reposted
by a staffer who clearly did not see the word
while the president was in court.
Meanwhile, back here in New York,
the defense moved to dismiss this entire case,
arguing the Cohen's testimony about Mr.
Trump simply cannot be believed.
But the judge didn't seem inclined to take it out
of the jury's hands right now,
saying, quote, you think he's going to fool 12 New
Yorkers?
What a day in court.
So weird. The judge got irritated with this defense witness.
It clears everyone out of the room to scold him
essentially.
Why is this witness important to the case?
As you said, he wasn't on anyone's witness list to
start.
I didn't think he would be called because he's really
a double edged sword,
right? The defense wants him because he calls into questions
Cohen's credibility.
He's telling this story about Cohen essentially saying I don't
have anything on Donald Trump,
whereas the jury has heard that he had plenty on
Donald Trump.
So they are using him for that purpose.
But he also could be a benefit to the prosecution
because he's there to say,
essentially there was a back channel,
and he was. And it's convinced Cohen not to flip
on the former president.
And so the prosecution wants in there to sort of
make this whole thing just seem shady.
And it's unclear which way he's going to be punished,
which, which side he's going to punish more for all
of this.
I'm just not clear how it all shakes out.
All right, Laura. Thank you.
Thank you.