Attorney Ousted from Fauci Hearing
Fauci's Attorney Removed from Tense Senate Hearing After Disrupting Proceedings
Key Points
David Schertler previously represented former Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife in their federal corruption trial.
Menendez was convicted on federal corruption charges, sentenced to 11 years in prison, and permanently barred from holding public office in New Jersey.
Schertler later represented Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden's White House physician, who likewise invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions when compelled to appear.
Security escorted Schertler out of the hearing after he interrupted proceedings and was warned by Sen. Rand Paul that he would be escorted out if he spoke again.
Rand Paul’s remark framed the incident as how Fauci wants to be remembered: 'This is the way Anthony Fauci wants to be remembered — for a lawyer not listening to the rules.'
Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing, refusing to answer questions about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to ABC News and KTVU. The hearing, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul, quickly turned chaotic when Fauci's attorney David Schertler was physically escorted out of the room after interrupting the proceedings.
Schertler had moved to an unauthorized position beside Fauci and spoke out of turn. Paul warned him he was not recognized and would be removed if he spoke again. Security then escorted Schertler out. The moment drew applause from those in the room, according to Fox News.
Rand Paul Ejects Fauci's Lawyer Mid-Hearing
Schertler moved to sit beside Fauci during the hearing, a position he was not cleared to occupy. When he interrupted the questioning, Paul cut him off. "You're not recognized," Paul told him, warning that another outburst would get him escorted out. Schertler spoke again. Security removed him from the room, according to Fox News.
Paul framed the moment as a reflection on Fauci himself. "This is the way Anthony Fauci wants to be remembered — for a lawyer not listening to the rules," Paul said, according to Fox News Radio. The crowd's applause underscored the sharp tension between Fauci's legal team and the committee.
Fauci Refuses to Answer Questions, Citing the Fifth
Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment throughout the hearing, meaning he refused to answer questions to avoid potentially incriminating himself. The hearing focused on his role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, including decisions about funding and the origins of the virus, according to NBC 26 and KTVU.
Sen. Rand Paul challenged Fauci's repeated use of the Fifth Amendment as an evasion tactic. Paul questioned why Fauci felt the need to plead the Fifth so many times across multiple lines of questioning, according to Fox News. Fauci did not offer public explanations for each refusal.
Schertler's Record: High-Profile, Politically Charged Cases
David Schertler is no stranger to controversial clients. He represented former Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife during their federal corruption trial. Menendez was convicted, sentenced to 11 years in prison, and permanently barred from holding public office in New Jersey, according to Fox News.
Schertler also represented Dr. Kevin O'Connor, President Biden's White House physician. Like Fauci, O'Connor invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions when called to appear before Congress. Critics say Schertler's pattern of taking such cases raises questions about legal strategy in congressional proceedings.
What This Hearing Means for COVID Accountability
The Senate hearing was part of a broader push to hold officials accountable for decisions made during the pandemic. Rand Paul has long pressed Fauci on pandemic policies and the origins of COVID-19. The hearing marked one of the most dramatic public confrontations yet between Fauci and his congressional critics, according to ABC News and Fox News Radio.
With Fauci silent behind the Fifth Amendment and his lawyer removed from the room, the hearing produced no new answers on COVID's origins or his policy decisions. But it did produce a vivid image: Fauci, flanked by empty space where his attorney used to sit, saying nothing at all.
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