Steve Bannon made an appearance at Manhattan Criminal Court in May regarding his upcoming trial over fraud and conspiracy allegations.The law firm represented Bannon through a series of legal problems, including an indictment that accused him ofBannon made payments totaling $375,000 out of the more than $850,000 billed by Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, LLC, according to the firm.
Bannon contended that he told his lawyers to stop working on his behalf in January 2022 and that Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, LLC performed work on matters unrelated to the subject matter of the retainer agreement. He also argued that Costello would be a witness in a case against him and therefore he shouldn’t have to pay.
Robert J. Costello, who regularly represented Bannon, specializes in Criminal and Commercial Litigation, Federal Investigations, and Administrative Law for the New York City law firm of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP.“Defendant’s assertion that he need not pay legal fees because an attorney for plaintiff might be a witness in the case in the District of Columbia is also without merit,” Bluth wrote in her ruling.
“As plaintiff pointed out, Mr. Costello filed a notice of withdrawal in that case in July 2022, well after the time defendant allegedly told plaintiff to stop representing him. Nor did defendant adequately explain how the fact that an attorney might be called as a witness is a valid defense to not paying legal bills,” she added. and ordered to pay a $6,500 fine last October for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating last year’s Capitol riot.