WP: How Trump’s claims of vandalism at the renovated Reflecting Pool crumbled
Prosecutors said new evidence showed a contractor’s botched installation caused the damage, prompting dismissal of misdemeanor vandalism cases against four defendants.
- On Friday, federal prosecutors in Washington dismissed vandalism charges against Olympian David Hearn and three others, citing new evidence that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool resulted from a "botched installation" by contractors.
- Evidence of "flawed seams" and bubbling liners at the Reflecting Pool contradicted government claims that the individuals had "damaged the pool," challenging the initial criminal charges brought by Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
- Describing the prosecution as a "nightmare," David Benowitz and Allen Dale noted significant personal turmoil; Benowitz called the case the "epitome of the politicization of the criminal justice system."
- Monday in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump claimed Attorney Jeanine Pirro "choked" and "made a mistake" by dismissing the case, while insisting that "vandals" damaged the pool.
- On Saturday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum echoed the White House, asserting that "evidence is clear" regarding repeated vandalism at the pool despite prosecutors providing no specific proof supporting his claims.
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41 Articles
Associated Press News
No evidence? No problem. Trump pushes ahead on false claims that Reflecting Pool was vandalized
Jeanine Pirro this week found out there’s a tradeoff between loyalty to President Donald Trump and being loyal to reality. The U.S.
The renovation of this capital site, wanted by the President of the United States, gives rise to a weapons pass between a prosecutor, close to the President, and the Minister of the Interior, Doug Burgum. ...
The Washington Attorney General contradicted the President of the United States by ensuring that the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Basin was not caused by vandalism.
Donald Trump Won’t Give Up His Reflecting Pool Vandalism Story
Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News via Getty Images Donald Trump continues to argue that vandals damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool despite growing questions surrounding that claim. Even after legal cases unraveled and officials pointed to renovation issues, the president has not changed his public position. Donald Trump continues to blame vandals amid reflecting pool repairs President Donald Trump doubled down this week …
Pool case shows gap between Trump's claims, court record
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro dropped charges related to the Reflecting Pool after determining that the damage to the pool was not vandalism. That was in stark contrast to what she said weeks ago. It follows a pattern of disconnect between what the president and administration officials say in public versus what lawyers say in court. Amna Nawaz discussed more with former prosecutor Ankush Khardori.
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