The Nassau County Attorney’s Office recently hired attorney Robert Costello, a defense witness in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial.
Costello, 76, of Manhasset, was a former legal adviser to Michael Cohen, who served as an attorney for Trump from 2006 to 2018.
A Newsday article reported that Chris Boyle, a spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, confirmed Costello’s hiring. However, Boyle did not provide details about Costello’s job title, hire date or salary.
Costello gained recent notoriety while testifying in the State Supreme Court in Manhattan on Trump’s behalf during a trial in which the former president was eventually found guilty of 34 felonies. The defense used him to attack Cohen’s credibility.
During the trial, Costello continued to speak after objections were sustained — a signal to witnesses to stop talking.
At one point, Costello remarked, “jeez,” when he was cut off by an objection. He also called the whole exercise “ridiculous.”
His behavior earned him a stern rebuke from Judge Juan Merchan.
“And then if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t give me side eye and you don’t roll your eyes,” Merchan said.
Merchan was about to bring the jury back in when he asked Costello, “Are you staring me down right now?” and then Merchan kicked out the press.
“I’m putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous,” Merchan said, according to the transcript of the conversation that occurred when the press was out of the room. ”If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand.”
Costello left his Manhattan law firm following his testimony in May, in which Merchan called his conduct “contemptuous.”
After Costello was hired at his new job in the county, Newsday reported that Boyle released a statement through Nassau County Attorney Thomas Adams, calling Costello a “very accomplished lawyer and litigator.”
The statement in the report added that Blakeman “has made it a priority to upgrade the County Attorney’s office and make it into a law firm with the most capable and competent legal minds to protect the taxpayers of Nassau County.”
