Attorney General Todd Blanche Defends Jeanine Pirro Amid Lincoln Memorial Vandalism Case Dismissal

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly stated his backing for U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro following her office's decision to drop a high-profile vandalism case involving the recently refurbished Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Federal prosecutors had moved on July 31 to discontinue proceedings against Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was initially accused of causing damage to the $14 million restoration project. The damage, which included cracks, algae growth, and peeling sealant, was ultimately attributed by prosecutors to potential flaws in the renovation process itself, rather than deliberate acts of vandalism.

Blanche conveyed that both he and President Donald Trump stand in solidarity with Pirro. However, he also acknowledged that he understood the president's strong reaction to the case's dismissal, noting that the possibility of “potential vandalism” still warranted concern.

"I absolutely support U.S. Attorney Pirro, as does President Trump," he affirmed during an appearance on NBC’s "Meet the Press."

"Now, that’s different than whether the president is extraordinarily frustrated at what happened in that case. And I don’t in any way fault him for that."

Evidentiary Challenges and Broader Enforcement

Blanche further clarified that the court documents did not definitively conclude that all damage resulted from construction defects. He mentioned that a witness had reportedly claimed to observe Hearn engaged in vandalizing the reflecting pool. Nevertheless, Blanche stressed that witness testimonies alone do not constitute sufficient proof to secure a conviction in such a case.

"Well, there’s a witness that said, ‘I observed the defendant vandalizing the reflecting pool.’ Now, that’s different than whether ultimately we have the proof."

Hearn has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the process.

Despite the specific evidentiary difficulties encountered in this particular case, Blanche commended Pirro for doing a "phenomenal job" in her broader efforts to prosecute acts of vandalism targeting national memorials and monuments.

His remarks came shortly after Pirro’s office initiated a separate case last Thursday, pursuing a $1,000 property-destruction charge related to a veterans memorial. In that incident, a suspect identified as Melissa L. Farris allegedly spray-painted "clean hands, diary money" in bright pink and introduced bubble soap into the memorial’s fountain.

"U.S. Attorney Pirro is doing a phenomenal job enforcing that, going after anybody who’s doing it. And I think judging her on a single case because of the evidence that we had is not fair," Blanche stated.

Considering Future Action

Blanche also indicated that he would take into consideration a request made by the White House last Thursday, which asked the Justice Department to assess whether a new misdemeanor prosecution could be initiated against Hearn, subsequent to Pirro’s office dropping the initial vandalism charges.

"Will I take the President of the United States’s view on something into consideration? Yes, of course," he responded.

"That’s certainly something that I listen to."