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Jeanine Pirro Dismisses Reflecting Pool Case, Blames Contractor
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro filed a 20‑page motion to dismiss the felony indictment against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who had been accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The filing cited newly produced evidence from the Interior Department showing that the damage was caused by a botched installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings, not by Hearn’s actions, and noted the rush to complete work for the America 250 celebration. Defense lawyers argued that the Justice Department knew for weeks the case was flawed, stating “the government proceeded to indict Mr. Hearn before it had obtained or evaluated the information necessary to establish a good‑faith basis for the charge.” President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Pirro, calling her “folded like an umbrella” and saying he was “not happy” with the decision, while considering her removal. Pirro met with Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in the Oval Office, presenting boxes of evidence. The Justice Department’s move to dismiss the case also led to the withdrawal of charges against three other individuals previously arrested in connection with the Reflecting Pool incident.
Entities
Atlantic Industrial Coatings · David Hearn · Donald Trump · Doug Burgum · Jeanine Pirro · U.S. Department of Justice · U.S. Interior Department · U.S. Justice Department
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Charges against three other individuals accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool were also dropped. kissrichmond.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The pool liner was already failing and the damage was visible weeks before the indictment. www.independent.co.uk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Justice Department knew or should have known for weeks that its case against Hearn was flawed. www.troyrecord.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Department of Justice moved to dismiss the indictment against David Hearn. politicaldog101.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings publicly acknowledged the need for repair and received a $14.7 million no‑bid contract.
- [● 2 SOURCES] New Interior Department evidence shows the pool damage was caused by a botched contractor installation. srnnews.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] David Hearn had been accused of intentionally damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. politicaldog101.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] President Donald Trump publicly claimed the damage was vandalism and criticized Jeanine Pirro for dropping the case. mycolumbusmagic.com · praisehouston.com