Seeking to painting a picture of the machinations behind what Michael Cohen called a "pressure campaign" to keep him in the Trump fold as investigators closed in on him, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger displayed an email from Michael Cohen's then-legal adviser Robert Costello to Costello's law partner in which Costello wrote that Cohen "continues to slow play us and the president -- is he totally nuts???"

"I am in a golf tournament tomorrow early and again on Sunday. What should I say to this a------ ? He is playing with the most powerful man on the planet," Costello wrote.

"That email certainly speaks for itself, does it not, Mr. Costello?" Hoffiner asked.

"Yes it does," Costello said.

Costello insisted that he was not working to advance Trump's interests and denied the suggestion that he "lost control" of Cohen.

Prosecutors displayed an email from Michael Cohen's then-legal adviser Robert Costello to Costello's law partner Jeffrey Citron from Aug. 8, 2018, in which Costello shared a link to a Fox News story about Rudy Giuliani joining Trump's legal team.

"All the more reason for Cohen to hire me because of my connection to Giuliani, which I mentioned to him in our meeting," he wrote.

In another email, Costello said, "Our issue is to get Cohen on the right page without giving him the appearance that we are following instructions from Giuliani or the President. In my opinion this is the clear correct strategy."

Questioned on the witness stand about that email, Costello told prosecutor Susan Hoffinger that he wanted "to get everybody on the same page because Michael Cohen had been complaining incessantly that Rudy Giuliani was making statements in the press that Michael Cohen didn't approve of."

Costello told Hoffinger he has other emails clarifying that, "which I'd be delighted to tell you."

"That's all right," Hoffinger replied snarkily.

The gallery laughed, prompting a court officer to yell, "Quiet!"

Only a few minutes into prosecutor Susan Hoffinger's cross-examination of Michael Cohen's former legal adviser Robert Costello, their exchanges are already sounding tense.

Hoffinger attempted to confirm that Costello boasted about his relationship with Rudy Giuliani, but Costello denied he did so during his first meeting with Cohen.

"You are quoting from an email that is much later," Costello said.

"I am not quoting from an email," Hoffinger replied.

Hoffinger then asked Costello about his relationship with Giuliani.

"He's been to your wedding?" Hoffinger asked.

"Yes he was," Costello said.

“Let’s get the witness please,” Judge Juan Merchan said after taking the bench.

Michael Cohen's one-time legal adviser Robert Costello entered the courtroom and took the witness stand to continue his cross-examination.

“Good Morning, Mr. Costello. Welcome back,” Judge Merchan said.

New York's Appellate Division has upheld Judge Juan Merchan's decision not to recuse himself from former President Trump's hush money case.

Trump's defense team had sought Merchan's recusal based on his daughter's work for a consulting firm with Democratic clients.

A panel of appellate judges ruled that Trump failed to prove the judge overstepped his authority by denying a defense motion for recusal.

"Petitioner has failed to establish that the court acted in excess of its jurisdiction by denying his motion," today's order said. "Petitioner also has not established that he has a clear right to recusal."

The judges also found that the defense appeal was procedurally improper since they waited too long to appeal Merchan's August 2023 recusal order, then rushed to the Appellate Division before Merchan ruled on their more recent recusal motion.

The appellate court also upheld Merchan's decision denying Trump's argument that some of his social media posts were covered by presidential immunity.

The appeals court said Trump could include both appeals in its general appeal of the verdict should he be found guilty.

The court also denied Trump's request for a change of venue for the trial, which Trump had sought before the trial began last month.

The former president has repeatedly criticized Judge Merchan as "conflicted" throughout the trial.