NY grand jury to hear pro-Trump witness in hush money case

Robert Costello, a former legal adviser for one-time Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen, has been called to testify before a New York grand jury.

Mr Costello is expected to testify on Monday afternoon in a case against the former president over hush money paid to ex-porn actress Stormy Daniels.

The case may see criminal charges brought against Mr Trump.

Mr Costello has been called by Mr Trump’s legal team to discredit previous testimony by Mr Cohen.

Mr Cohen – who is understood to have appeared before the grand jury this month – arranged a hush-money payment to Ms Daniels, who claimed to have had an affair with Mr Trump.

The former president denies they had sexual relations.

The grand jury is scheduled to meet on Monday in a Lower Manhattan court.

A grand jury is set up by a prosecutor to determine whether there is enough evidence to pursue charges in a case. If prosecutors proceed, it would be the first criminal case ever brought against a former US president.

Mr Costello’s scheduled appearance before the grand jury was first reported by the New York Times and has since been confirmed by other media, including the BBC’s US partner, CBS. He worked as a legal advisor to Mr Cohen before the two had a falling out.

Mr Cohen has reportedly been asked to remain available on Monday to rebut Mr Costello’s testimony, but it is unclear if he will actually be called.

The Stormy Daniels case centres on how Mr Trump reimbursed former lawyer Mr Cohen after he paid Ms Daniels $130,000 ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

The record for the payment reimbursing Mr Cohen says it was for “legal fees”. Prosecutors may say this amounts to Mr Trump falsifying business records, a misdemeanour in New York.

On Saturday, Mr Trump claimed on social media that he expects to be arrested on Tuesday and called for supporters to protest. His lawyers said there had been no communication from law enforcement and the former president’s post was based on media reports.

There was a notable police presence outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Monday, where Mr Trump would likely be arraigned in the case of an indictment.

The NYPD and other agencies held discussions over the past week on how to prepare security for that eventuality, law enforcement sources told US media.

On Monday, a handful of anti-Trump protestors gathered outside the courthouse and held up signs that read “shame” and “no one is above the law”.

Laurie Arbeiter was among them.

“We teach our children not to lie. Trump lies all the time,” she told the BBC. She was interrupted by a supporter of the ex-president who called out: “Trump is the best president ever. Trump 2024!”

Mr Trump has pledged to continue his campaign to become the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election, even if he is indicted.

Some members of the Republican party have spoken out in Mr Trump’s defence.

In a letter sent to the Manhattan District Attorney and released publicly on Monday, Republican House members accused Alvin Bragg, who set up the grand jury, of “unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority”.

The letter also calls on Mr Bragg to testify before Congress “about what plainly appears to be a politically motivated prosecutorial decision”.

It is not yet known if Mr Trump is going to be criminally charged this week or even, beyond broad strokes, what those charges might be.