NYFacing the possibility of criminal charges, Donald Trump waited Tuesday in Florida as New York braced for the disruptions that could follow an indictment. The Republican contenders in the 2024 race were weighing the impact impeachment could have on a campaign in which the former president is a leading contender.
Over the weekend, Trump claimed without evidence that he would be arrested on Tuesday, but there was no indication that the prediction would come true. A Manhattan grand jury appeared to take an important step Monday by hearing a pro-Trump witness, presumably so prosecutors could ensure the panel had a chance to consider any testimony supporting their version of events.
The next steps were unclear and it was not clear if additional witnesses could be called. But a city aware of the riots by Trump loyalists at the US Capitol more than two years ago took steps to protect itself from any violence that might accompany the unprecedented prosecution of a former president.
Testimony Monday from Robert Costello, a lawyer with close ties to many key Trump advisers, appeared to be a last chance for allies to divert the grand jury from an indictment. Prosecutors invited Costello to appear after saying he had information to undermine the credibility of Michael Cohen, a former lawyer and mediator for Trump who later turned on him and later became a key witness in the US district attorney’s investigation. Manhattan.
Costello had provided legal services to Cohen several years ago after Cohen himself became entangled in the federal investigation into the hush money payments. At a news conference after his grand jury appearance, Costello told reporters that he came forward because he did not believe Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to federal crimes and served prison time.
“If they want to go after Donald Trump and they have solid evidence, so be it,” Costello said. “But Michael Cohen is far from hard evidence.”
Responding to MSNBC, Cohen said Costello was never his attorney and “has no sense of truth.”
There were no signs that Costello’s testimony had affected the course of the investigation. Cohen had been available for more than two hours in case prosecutors wanted him to rebut Costello’s testimony, but was told it was not necessary, Cohen’s attorney said.
Manhattan court proceedings were temporarily halted Tuesday morning over a bomb threat 911 call, according to a court spokesperson. That delayed the start of a hearing in a separate case, the New York attorney general’s lawsuit charging Trump and his company with a year-long fraud scheme.
As the New York investigation moves toward its conclusion, Trump faces other criminal investigations in Atlanta and Washington that, taken together, pose a significant legal risk and carry the potential to upend his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
