Robert Costello — a Trumpworld attorney, perhaps best known as Rudy Giuliani’s former lawyer — retakes the stand this morning. Costello’s testimony has focused on interactions he had with Michael Cohen in 2018 as Cohen considered whether to flip on Trump and his associates. When we left off on Monday, Costello was being cross-examined by the DA’s Office.
I see Grampy is still reading from his printouts from the Internets.
He gets multiple copies of each fawning headline, and doesn’t notice the repetition.
Blanche’s scowl is so consistent from day to day it almost looks photoshopped. Someone should do a flip book using his face as the anchor. (Though of course the anchor on his soul is standing to his right.)
I think he practiced it in the mirror, styling on Trump’s jailhouse Atlanta photo. Makes Trump think he has a macho attorney. Also he failed at attempting the Roy Cohn sneer.
Fran Lawther
The Washington Post has more details on the courtroom chaos caused by Costello on Monday. After the judge, Juan Merchan , removed the media from the courtroom, he told Costello his “conduct is contemptuous”, court transcripts show.
He also told Costello he would remove him as a witness if he did not change his behavior. “If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand. I will strike this entire testimony; do you understand me?”
Trump’s attorney Emil Bove answered for Costello, saying: “Yes Judge. I understand.”
Costello then tried to make a comment, to which Merchan replied: “No. No. This is not a conversation.”
Joe Piscopo? Awesome!
Archie Bunker and Dick Cheney’s love child?
The old bastard has been bullshitting himself since day one. At this point it’s The Truman Show but the simpleton star is also an evil narcissist.
My congressman Dan Meuser (R-PA) is also tagging along. Asshole.
Thank you for starting a new blog, rather than continuing the one that was over 2300 comments.
I don’t know if I expect anything out of the ordinary today or not. I’d like to see the judge take a stand on some of the nonsense from yesterday, but I guess we’ll see.
In my bizness we joke about MD variously standing for Medical Deity (or Me DOCTOR [with its unspoken subtext, “you not”]). Those of us with Ph.D.'s joke about getting one as a way to get MDs to listen to us when we speak.
But as nearly as I can tell, a trial judge in her courtroom really is the nearest thing in our society to an absolute monarch. Merchan apparently could have told Costello yesterday that he was going anti-glamping in the Courthouse holding cells overnight. As angry as Merchan sounds in the transcript, I’m a little surprised he didn’t. That he didn’t probably relates more to not wanting to have to fight a habeas corpus appeal than anything. Costello is definitely on warning now and if he’s smart (I know, assuming a fact not in evidence at this point) he’ll be walking the balance beam of propriety for the remainder of his time on the witness stand.
I truly hope for a measured response to all of that before the jury comes in today.
Thanks for making the thanks I intended to make before my pal Dr. VonHolst waved his shiny object in my face.
It is this man’s constitutional right to antagonize the judge and undermine the defense’s case.
In Texas and Florida, exercising your constitutional right to roll your eyes and stare at someone could get you shot.
Madam Moderator, you’re being redundant. Also, I’d like to suggest that “Congresscritter” is a more suitable pregnomon for the not-so-honorable gentleman from Penn’s Woods.
“… along with conservative comedian Joe Piscopo…”
Trump will appoint Piscopo Secretary of Humor. All snark, innuendo and rim shots will have to be cleared through his office.
