Trump's ex-advisor to testify before ny grand jury on Stormy Daniels

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Trump's ex-advisor to testify before ny grand jury on Stormy Daniels

Attorney Robert Bob Costello, who was once a legal adviser to Michael Cohen, told the New York grand jury he would testify Monday before the New York grand jury on former President Donald Trump's case.

Trump's attorneys asked the district attorney in Manhattan for Costello to testify in the case involving a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation.

The fact that Costello will appear at the request of Trump's team indicates that he may contradict Cohen, who has been a key witness in the case.

Cohen, Trump's former lawyer who pleaded guilty in federal court in 2018 to making the illegal payment to Daniels, testified before the grand jury last week. He has met with prosecutors more than 20 times.

Cohen claimed that Trump directed him to pay the hush money for the sole purpose of influencing the 2016 presidential election. He said he will return to the district attorney's office Monday to stand by as a rebuttal witness.

Costello said he had never signed a retainer agreement. Cohen waived the attorney-client privilege in 2019 - a move that shocked attorneys who became aware of it.

Cohen said Costello had never represented him.

A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office didn't want to say anything.

The grand jury was convened by the district attorney's office to look into the payment to Daniels, who alleges she slept with Trump before he became president. Trump denied any wrongdoing and said he didn't have an affair with Daniel. He acknowledged that he repaid Cohen the $130,000, a payment he claims to be legal.

Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina said this month that Trump's attorneys have no plans to meet with the district attorney's office. Trump won't appear before the grand jury last week, according to Tacopina.

NBC News reported Friday that law enforcement agencies are gearing up for an indictment as early as next week. Trump predicted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he would be arrested Tuesday and called for supporters to protest.

Two senior law enforcement officials said an interagency policy meeting is planned for Monday about security in case Trump is indicted this week.

New York police met Sunday to discuss possible security plans.

The Manhattan investigation is separate from the Justice Department's investigation into Trump's role in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and his handling of classified documents, which special counsel Jack Smith oversees.