RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 4 sourcesU.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday said he supports U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her office moved to dismiss the vandalism case involving the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Federal prosecutors on July 31 moved to drop the case against Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the $14 million project after cracks, algae growth and peeling sealant were discovered. Prosecutors cited evidence indicating the damage may have stemmed from a botched renovation rather than vandalism.
Blanche said he and President Donald Trump both support Pirro, but acknowledged that he could not fault the president for his reaction to the case dismissal, as "potential vandalism" may still be involved.
"I absolutely support U.S. Attorney Pirro, as does President Trump," he said on NBC’s " Meet the Press ."
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"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."
Blanche clarified that the court filings did not conclude that all of the damage was caused by faulty construction, noting that a witness reportedly claimed to have seen Hearn vandalizing the reflecting pool . However, he acknowledged that witness accounts alone are not sufficient evidence to prove the 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 maintained his innocence.
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Despite the evidentiary issues surrounding the case, Blanche said Pirro is doing a "phenomenal job" prosecuting vandalism involving memorials and monuments.
His comments came after Pirro’s office pursued a separate $1,000 property-destruction case involving a veterans memorial last Thursday. A female suspect, Melissa L. Farris, allegedly spray-painted the words "clean hands, diary money" in bright pink paint and dumped 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," he said.
Blanche also said he would also consider last Thursday’s White House request asking the Justice Department to explore whether a new misdemeanor prosecution could be brought against Hearn after Pirro’s office dropped the original vandalism case.
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"Will I take the President of the United States’s view on something into consideration? Yes, of course," he said.
"That’s certainly something that I listen to."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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