Republican senators Wednesday attempted to undermine the testimony of former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez by attacking the attorneys she retained after being ousted.
GOP Sens. Jim Banks (Ind.) and Ashley Moody (Fla.) questioned why Monarez is being represented by lawyers who have vocally criticized President Trump.
Mark Zaid and Abbe Lowell have represented clients who have spoken out against the Trump administration in the past, and those who have been personally targeted by Trump for political retribution like Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
“Of the thousands of lawyers that you could hire to help you through this process, why Mark Zaid?” Banks asked. “You don’t seem naïve at all. You have to know that Mark Zaid is a leading opponent of President Trump, notorious for his online activity that is very anti Trump … why did you hire a guy like that of all the thousands of attorneys?”
Monarez said she wanted to ensure she had clarity and understanding about her situation.
“I was seeking some critical counsel to be able to help me make sure that I was understanding and aware of everything that had transpired, and preparing for what might be next, including this committee hearing,” Monarez said. “Mark Zaid and I have never spoken about politics. I never asked him about his politics. He has never asked me about my politics.”
That line of questioning was taken up again a short time later by Moody, who repeatedly asked Monarez to put her attorneys’ names on the record.
“Is there some reason you don’t want to introduce the senators to the lawyers that are here and put their names on the record?” Moody asked. “You have this whole network of people that’s trying to embarrass the president or go after the president, and now you are joining this group.”
Monarez responded that while her counsel would be happy to follow up after the hearing, “I was hoping that we would stay focused on the critical issues.”
But Moody then accused Monarez of plotting a public spectacle about her firing by directly reaching out to committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) about her interactions with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before she was fired.
Cassidy pushed back, saying it was appropriate for Monarez to reach out and for the committee to follow up.
“As the chairman of the committee with jurisdiction over the CDC … it is entirely appropriate for someone with oversight concerns to contact my office, or me, or, frankly, any of us,” Cassidy said.
He added that after he heard from Monarez, he contacted both Kennedy and the White House “to inquire what was happening and to express concerns about what was alleged.”
Monarez testified that Kennedy told her not to speak to senators.
