According to a report in the New York Times, based on texts and emails that were recently revealed, President Donald Trump could have kept his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, from turning on him if intermediary Rudy Giuliani had returned a simple phone call.
The report notes Cohen was struggling both financially and emotionally over the onslaught of charges against him and asked his legal adviser, Robert J. Costello, to reach out to Trump's people since he was unable himself to talk to Trump.
According to the report, Costello made a request to Giuliani saying Cohen, "[He] needs a little loving and respect booster,” before adding, "He is not thinking clearly because he feels abandoned.”
The reports states, "In June, Mr. Costello proposed that he and Mr. Giuliani, who have been friends for decades, meet urgently with Mr. Cohen to address his grievances and ease his anxieties. "Are we going to meet Thursday or Friday?' Mr. Costello texted Mr. Giuliani on a Monday. 'I would like to get back to Michael with a response.'"
"But Mr. Giuliani did not respond. And when Mr. Costello followed up, "Can I get a response on the possible meeting?' Mr. Giuliani hesitated, replying, 'Not yet because haven’t talked to President,' who was out of the country," the report continues.
According to the Times, after not hearing back, Cohen told friends that he was open to speaking to investigators looking into the Trump admninistration and, after that became public, the total collapse of the longtime relationship between Cohen and the president rapidly sped up.
In an interview Costello blamed the breakdown on the lack of response which led to Cohen turning completely on Trump.
“What we had here was a failure to communicate,” said Costello. “My mission was to get everyone tuned in to the same channel. My thought was a face-to-face meeting among all the lawyers together with Cohen would put everyone on the same channel. The meeting never happened, and the rest is history.”
You can read more here.