White House Requests DOJ to Consider New Prosecution in Reflecting Pool Case

White House officials have requested the Department of Justice (DOJ) to explore the possibility of pursuing a new prosecution against David Hearn, who was accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. This request follows the dismissal of felony charges against Hearn by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office on July 31, which cited findings from the Department of the Interior that attributed the damage to installation flaws rather than vandalism. The White House is considering whether Hearn could face a misdemeanor charge instead. Hearn's attorneys have argued that pursuing a new case would undermine the DOJ's credibility, as prosecutors previously acknowledged insufficient evidence to support the original charges. The damage to the pool was estimated at approximately $1,000, and Hearn was indicted on July 2 for felony destruction of property. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized the decision to drop the charges and has called for a reconsideration of the case, suggesting that Hearn has political connections to the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue.