Attorney General Blanche Defends U.S. Attorney Pirro Over Lincoln Memorial Pool Case Dismissal

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly endorsed U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Sunday following her office’s decision to dismiss charges in a vandalism case tied to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The dismissal came after federal prosecutors determined that damage to the $14 million renovated structure likely resulted from construction defects rather than intentional destruction.

Olympic canoeist David Hearn had faced accusations of damaging the reflecting pool, but prosecutors withdrew the case on July 31 after discovering evidence suggesting the harm stemmed from a faulty renovation project, including cracks, algae buildup and deteriorating sealant. Blanche stated on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that both he and President Donald Trump support Pirro’s leadership, though he acknowledged Trump’s frustration with the dismissal.

Blanche noted that while a witness claimed to have observed Hearn vandalizing the pool, witness testimony alone did not provide sufficient evidence to sustain the prosecution. He clarified that court filings did not establish that all damage came from construction failures, yet maintained that the available proof did not meet legal standards for conviction.

Hearn has consistently denied wrongdoing in the matter. Blanche defended Pirro’s overall record, citing her office’s recent pursuit of a separate case involving a woman who allegedly vandalized a veterans memorial with pink spray paint and soap on Thursday.

The attorney general indicated he would consider a White House request to explore whether new misdemeanor charges could be filed against Hearn following the case dismissal. “That’s certainly something that I listen to,” Blanche said regarding presidential input on prosecutorial decisions.