Trump slams Jeanine Pirro for dropping Reflecting Pool vandalism cases, says she 'choked'
President Trump publicly rebuked Jeanine Pirro, his handpicked U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, for dropping the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism cases. Trump said Pirro 'choked' and 'made a mistake'.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
President Trump publicly rebuked Jeanine Pirro, his handpicked U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, for dropping the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism cases. Trump said Pirro 'choked' and 'made a mistake'.
President Trump is unhappy with a lawyer, Jeanine Pirro, who dropped charges against a man accused of damaging a famous pool. Trump thinks Pirro made a mistake and 'choked'.
Analysis
Trump's Disappointment with Pirro's Decision
President Trump's public rebuke of Jeanine Pirro, his handpicked U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, for dropping the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism cases, has sent shockwaves through the legal community. Trump's comments, made in the Oval Office on Monday, suggest that he is unhappy with Pirro's decision to drop the charges against 67-year-old former Olympian David Hearn. According to court filings reviewed by CBS News in D.C. Superior Court, Pirro's office moved to dismiss or said it would drop its prosecutions against three more people who were charged with vandalizing the Reflecting Pool. All three had been facing misdemeanor charges.
Trump's comments on Monday went further than his previous statement on Truth Social, where he wrote that he 'disagreed 100%' with Pirro's decision on the Reflecting Pool case. In the Oval Office, Trump said Pirro 'choked' and 'made a mistake'. He also snapped at one reporter who asked if he's reconsidering Pirro's role as U.S. attorney and ignored another question from a reporter about whether he'll fire Pirro.
The president's comments suggest that Pirro's job is safe for now. Multiple sources later told CBS News that Pirro's job is safe for now. Pirro spoke with the president on Monday in the Oval Office, but didn't quit or ask if Mr. Trump wanted her to step down, sources with direct knowledge said. Mr. Trump is 'pissed' about Pirro dropping the vandalism charges, but did not fire her, the sources said.
The case against Hearn, who lives in nearby Bethesda, Maryland, began on June 19 when he stopped by the pool on a 64-mile bike ride and authorities arrested him after he reached down to touch it. He was accused of ripping a piece of sealant from the pool, but he denied any wrongdoing. Attorneys for Hearn said in a statement Friday that the case 'should never have been brought' and that the government 'owes Mr. Hearn an apology'.
Moving to drop the charges was an about-face for Pirro. She held a news conference when the case against Hearn was first announced, saying: 'One of the most offensive images that I hold in my mind are the images of national monuments that are being debased, roped, torn down, graffitied, and damaged by individuals. This unchecked vandalism and civil disorder turns into criminal behavior, and that's why we are here today.'
Key points
- President Trump publicly rebuked Jeanine Pirro, his handpicked U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, for dropping the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism cases.
- Trump said Pirro 'choked' and 'made a mistake'.
- Pirro's office moved to dismiss or said it would drop its prosecutions against three more people who were charged with vandalizing the Reflecting Pool.
- All three had been facing misdemeanor charges.
- Trump's comments suggest that Pirro's job is safe for now.
It's possible that Pirro's decision to drop the charges was a mistake, and Trump's comments may lead to a re-evaluation of the case. However, it's also possible that Pirro's decision was justified, and Trump's comments may be a sign of his frustration with the case.
The case against Hearn may be dropped, and Trump's comments may be a sign that he is unhappy with Pirro's decision. However, it's also possible that the case will continue, and Trump's comments may be a sign of his frustration with the case.
