An attorney may be called before a Manhattan grand jury Monday to deny the star witness. Michael Cohen investigation into former President Donald Trump, two sources confirmed to CBS News.
Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, has been asked to be available if needed before the grand jury, which is investigating a “hush money” payment made to Cohen to the adult film star. Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Cohen has been asked to be in the presence of a grand jury in Lower Manhattan in case he has to “rebut” another witness expected to testify Monday.
Two sources told CBS News that attorney Robert Costello, who served as Cohen’s legal adviser, could appear before a grand jury to impeach Cohen, a key witness in the Trump investigation, before they were dropped. Costello has been asked to appear by Trump’s attorneys, sources said, but it’s unclear if he will actually be called.
Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Costello’s possible appearance was first reported by The New York Times.
Trump posted on social media Saturday that he is expected to be arraigned Tuesday by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He did not post any details on what charges he might face, but Bragg’s office is conducting an investigation into a $130,000 payment to Cohen Daniels before the 2016 election. The president urged his followers to “Protest, take back our nation!” In the event of his arrest.
Trump was invited to testify before a grand jury earlier this month, a move that often signals impending indictments. Joe Tacopina, one of Trump’s attorneys, said the former president would not accept an invitation to appear.
Trump’s attorney said Saturday that his social media comments were related to news reports. “Because this is a political case, the district attorney’s office has engaged in a practice of leaking everything to the press, rather than contacting President Trump’s attorneys in a normal case,” Trump attorney Susan Necheles said in a text. CBS News.
Bragg has not commented on Trump’s social media posts. But in a memo to employees Saturday, Bragg warned of the potential threat and said “your safety is our highest priority.”
“We have full confidence in our outstanding security personnel and investigators, along with our great OCA and NYPD colleagues, and we will continue to coordinate with all of them,” Bragg said in a memo. “We do not tolerate attempts to intimidate our office or threaten the rule of law in New York. Our law enforcement partners will ensure that any specific or credible threat against the office is fully investigated and appropriate safeguards are in place to ensure that all 1,600 of us have a safe work environment. “
Cohen, a central figure in Bragg’s investigation, Testified before the grand jury Last week. he Reported to prison in May 2019 Federal charges related to the payout as well as tax evasion and lying to Congress.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing, including ever having sex with Daniels. He called the case “a political witch-hunt” and an “old and discredited case, rejected by every prosecutor’s office.”
Carolyn Linton contributed to this report.
Trending news
Robert Coast