Former Trump payroll attorney William Brennan recently labeled the former President Donald Trump’s reported insistence that Bob Costello take the stand a “disaster” for Trump via Mediaite.
Brennan has served as Trump’s lawyer for his payroll corporation in a tax fraud trial and Trump himself in his second impeachment trial. He made an appearance on CNN Tuesday morning in order to talk about the ongoing hush money election interference trial.
Costello previously served as Michael Cohen’s attorney before Cohen found other legal counsel was the source of fireworks during Monday’s trial. Judge Juan Merchan cleared the courtroom to personally reprimand Costello’s behavior on the stand.
Brennan opened by agreeing with Elie Honig’s assessment that Costello’s testimony backfired for the defense, saying, “It was a huge, huge step backward for the defense.”
Dana Bash addressed Brennan, saying, “You are the only one here who has actually been in Trump world and been, kind of a part of that dynamic when people are trying to please the defendant. Do you think that part of what he did was that he’s not obviously his lawyer right now, but he’s obviously been very involved with Trump confidants? You think that was part…”
Jake Tapper then interrupted to joke “Attorney General Bob Costello” after which Brennan said “Bite my tongue with the in ‘Trump world’ thing…[he’s a] guy I represented.”
“The lawyers have to run the show,” Brennan said about reports that Trump insisted his lawyers put Costello on the stand. “The client — I don’t care if the client is the former president of the United States, the lawyers have the client talk about pleading guilty and pleading not guilty, testifying or not. That’s fine. And maybe some input on waiver trial versus jury trial. That’s it.”
“I mean, this was a disaster yesterday because we’re talking about this guy,” Brennan concluded.
