U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly supported Washington, D.C. prosecutor Jeanine Pirro, who faced criticism from President Donald Trump regarding her handling of a vandalism case at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The exchange highlights potential tensions between the Justice Department's prosecutorial discretion and political pressure from the White House, particularly concerning a case involving a high-profile federal project and a former Olympian.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly stated his support for Washington, D.C. prosecutor Jeanine Pirro, who had faced criticism from President Donald Trump regarding her handling of a vandalism case at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The Trump administration had recently fast-tracked a renovation of the pool, which subsequently experienced issues with peeling material and an algae bloom.
Federal authorities charged former U.S. Olympian David Hearn and others with vandalism. Pirro, in a court filing seeking dismissal of the case against Hearn, attributed the pool's peeling issues to flawed contractor work and accused the Interior Department of initially providing incomplete information. President Trump subsequently posted that Pirro should reconsider her decision to drop the case.
Blanche, speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," said he does not fault Trump for being frustrated but defended Pirro, stating that judging her on a single case based on the available evidence would not be fair. He added that a witness reported observing vandalism. The White House has asked the Justice Department to examine potential new charges. Blanche also refused to pledge that the Justice Department would operate independently of the White House, though he stated he would act with integrity.
Blanche was confirmed as Attorney General by Senate Republicans earlier this month amid bipartisan concerns about his independence.