Robert Costello, a former legal adviser to Michael Cohen, claims that the Manhattan District Attorney's office withheld exculpatory evidence from the Trump trial grand jury and believes that some jurors may be biased against Trump due to "Trump derangement syndrome."
Robert Costello, a former legal adviser to Michael Cohen, has made bold allegations about the Manhattan District Attorney's handling of the Trump trial grand jury and expressed concerns about potential juror bias.
Costello claims that the DA's team ignored exculpatory evidence he provided and restricted his testimony during his appearance before the grand jury. He alleges that the prosecutors cherry-picked only a few emails from a substantial collection of hundreds presented by Costello.
"They were asking me questions that... were not going to elicit the exculpatory information that I had," Costello asserted. "I presented maybe 2 to 300 emails and text messages to them. They put two or three into evidence."
Costello believes that the evidence withheld from the grand jury could have significantly impacted Trump's indictment. "You should demand to see everything in chronological order so you get a real view of what Michael Cohen was like in those days," he told the jurors before leaving.
Furthermore, Costello expressed his suspicion that some jurors might exhibit "Trump derangement syndrome," a psychological condition often used to describe an irrational hatred or obsession with former President Trump.
"I understand that 87% of the voters voted not for Donald Trump in the last election, so you have to assume that there is Trump derangement syndrome out there," Costello said. "I think there are some people on this jury who will vote to convict Donald Trump no matter what evidence is presented or not presented."
Costello also detailed a meeting where Cohen expressed suicidal thoughts due to legal problems and allegedly denied having incriminating information about Trump. "He kept on saying over and over again, 10 to 20 times, 'I swear to God, Bob, I don't have anything on Donald Trump,'" Costello recounted.
Regarding the Stormy Daniels non-disclosure agreement, Costello claims that Cohen took out a $130,000 home equity loan to pay for it, believing it would be embarrassing to Melania Trump. Costello asserts that Cohen informed him he was later reimbursed.
Costello expressed his belief that he should be called to testify in the Trump trial but acknowledged that the decision ultimately rests with the court. "I think the chips are going to fall in a way that's favorable to Donald Trump," Costello predicted. "I think the jury will come back with a verdict that'll be favorable to the defense. But we'll see."
The allegations made by Costello have raised questions about the fairness of the trial and the impartiality of the grand jury. As the trial progresses, it remains to be seen whether Costello will be called to testify and how his claims will impact the proceedings.
