Michael Cohen's ex-attorney contradicts his testimony, says Trump 'knew nothing about those payments' | 20 May 2024 | An attorney who once represented Michael Cohen testified Monday that Donald Trump's fixer-turned-foe had told him the ex-president "knew nothing" about the hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels - moments before irking the judge by rolling his eyes and muttering on the stand. Robert "Bob" Costello, the second witness called by Trump's lawyers at his Manhattan criminal trial, contradicted previous testimony by Cohen that the real estate mogul was aware of the deal to pay Daniels $130,000 to silence her story about having a tryst with him. "Michael Cohen said numerous times that President Trump knew nothing about those payments, that he did this on his own, and he repeated that numerous times," claimed Costello, a Trump ally who last week bashed the prosecution's case in front of Congress... Behind closed doors, Judge [and Grade 'A' sociopath] Juan Merchan laid into Costello and threatened to remove him from the stand, according to a court transcript. "Sir, your conduct is contemptuous right now," Merchan told Costello. "I'm putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous. If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand," the judge warned.