White House Pushes DOJ to Revisit Reflecting Pool Case

The White House has reportedly asked the Justice Department to consider a new prosecution of Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who is accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to unnamed sources cited by The Wall Street Journal.

This follows President Donald Trump criticizing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's decision to drop the government's case against Hearn.

Pirro told a judge that the government's decision to indict Hearn on a felony charge was ill-informed, saying a botched renovation, not vandalism, caused the damage.

The Justice Department is now exploring whether a new case, likely based on misdemeanor allegations, is possible, according to unnamed administration sources, who said the discussions remain informal and preliminary.

A hearing is set for next month on whether the dismissal of charges against Hearn should be "with prejudice," which would bar the Justice Department from recharging him for the same conduct.

In a Friday Truth Social post, Trump said Pirro "should revisit her hastily made decision." He also posted a photo captioned "Vandalism" that he said showed graffiti and damage to the pool.

On Sunday, Trump said "a highly credible witness" saw Hearn ripping and tugging at the pool's coating.

Hearn has said he reached into the water in June to touch a piece of coating that had already detached from the bottom.

He was originally charged with a misdemeanor before prosecutors elevated the offense to a felony.

"The Department of Justice follows the evidence when determining if crimes have been committed," an undisclosed Justice Department spokeswoman told the Journal. "We always evaluate any case based on the facts and the law."

Norm Eisen, co-counsel for Hearn, called a potential new prosecution "a shocking first," saying it would revive "a case that the DOJ lost by its own admission that it lacked the evidence to convict."

Attorney General Todd Blanche has said it is the president's right to weigh in on Justice Department investigations, a departure from predecessors who sought to avoid the appearance of White House interference.

Republican National Committee attorney Christina Bobb told Newsmax on Monday that U.S. Attorney Pirro is in a "very difficult position" as Trump presses her to revisit the vandalism case because in criminal cases prosecutors must meet a high burden of proof.

"I think Jeanine Pirro is in a very, very difficult position," Bobb told "American Agenda." "This is a criminal case, so the burden is beyond a reasonable doubt."