Thoughts and Prayers

John Pierce, who was representing Kyle Rittenhouse until he got canned for stealing from his client, and is now defending insurrectionists, is on a ventilator with severe Covid after refusing vaccinations and masks.

I don't know if this should be filed under racist terrorism, insurrection, pandemic, or stupidity, so I'll just file it under schadenfreude.

Sucks to be you Mr. Pierce, even if you weren't in the ICU right now:

John Pierce, a high-profile conservative lawyer who previously represented Kyle Rittenhouse in his homicide case but was eventually fired, is reportedly on a ventilator due to COVID-19.

According to national security journalist Marcy Wheeler, Jan. 6 defendant Shane Jenkins, who is accused of assault, recently attempted to hire the ailing attorney. Pierce currently represents some 17 total defendants who are accused of various crimes in connection with the pro-Trump riot. He previously represented two other alleged rioters who ultimately found other representation.

During a Wednesday status hearing for Jenkins, his current attorney, Federal Public Defender Maria Jacob, said “she believes that she’s being replaced,” according a post on Wheeler’s “emptywheel” blog.

“John Pierce’s colleague, Ryan Marshall (who is not barred in DC but nevertheless handled Pierce’s appearance in Nate DeGrave’s case yesterday), piped up to say, yes, that was happening but unfortunately the notice of appearance he thought had been filed last night had not appeared on the docket yet,” Wheeler’s post continued.

………

Pierce was famously fired by the Rittenhouse family in February for allegedly refusing to provide an audit into money fundraised through the #FightBack Foundation, purportedly for his client’s defense.

“They used Kyle to gain money, gain Twitter followers,” Wendy Rittenhouse told Law&Crime’s Adam Klasfeld, referring to Pierce and fellow traveling pro-Trump attorney L. Lin Wood. “I felt now they didn’t care about Kyle.”: “Mr. Pierce is in the hospital, we believe, with COVID-19, on a ventilator, non-responsive,” according to Wheeler.

Just in case you are wondering, the invocation of, "Thoughts and Prayers," in the title is completely insincere.