Raskin launches probe into Pirro, Burgum after reversal on Reflecting Pool case

Rebecca Beitsch Tue, August 11, 2026 at 6:28 PM UTC

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House Judiciary Committee Democrats launched a probe Tuesday into the charges brought — and later voluntarily dismissed — against a former Olympian over alleged vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, questioning why U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro brought the flawed case.

The probe centers on the felony vandalism charges brought against David Hearn; Pirro initially said there was “tremendous evidence” that Hearn had ripped a piece of liner from the pool, causing more than $1,000 in damage to the sealant.

But in an about-face last month, she said “newly released documents” from the Department of the Interior indicated that “hasty and botched work” was the true culprit behind the damage.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.), the top Democrat on the panel, sent letters to both Pirro and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum demanding communications between their offices and the White House along with all documents related to the case, including what was presented to the grand jury.

“How did this debacle happen? Why was Mr. Hearn charged with committing a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison when the government knew he was innocent? … Did the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) deliberately mislead prosecutors to cover up a ‘botched’ renovation by a company awarded a dubious $15 million insider no-bid contract?” Raskin wrote in a letter sent to both officials.

“The conclusion seems inescapable that at least one, if not both, of you have misled the American public about the evidence and used it to corrupt and weaponize our justice system against an innocent 67-year-old American citizen.”

The probe is sure to increase scrutiny of Pirro, whom the president publicly criticized over dropping the charges. He said as recently as Friday she should “revisit her hastily made decision.”

He also accused her of having “choked” and said she “folded like an umbrella.”

Neither Pirro’s nor Burgum’s office immediately responded to requests for comment.

While Pirro has been taking the brunt of the president’s wrath, Raskin’s letter includes plenty of queries for Burgum, including both decisionmaking around contracting and whether, as Pirro said, the secretary withheld key evidence related to the case.

Raskin blasted the Interior Department for using the noncompetitive process to select Atlantic Industrial Coatings for the job. In doing so, the department awarded the job to a company that previously worked at Trump propertieswhile sidestepping the traditional process that mandates seeking multiple bids.

“Tellingly, DOI reportedly first approached another firm with prior Reflecting Pool renovation experience, but the company declined because the Trump Administration’s July 4 completion deadline was ‘unfeasible,'” Raskin wrote.

“Interior officials wrote to the contractor as early as June 11 — more than a week before Mr. Hearn’s arrest — complaining that the pool liner was already peeling but did not turn over this key email to prosecutors until after Mr. Hearn was indicted.”

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Raskin called that omission “jaw dropping” and accused Burgum of having “dutifully parroted President Trump’s delusional ravings” about vandals allegedly being behind the degradation of the Reflecting Pool’s liner.

During grand jury proceedings, prosecutors are required to share exculpatory evidence that might cast doubt on a subject’s guilt.

But Raskin argues numerous reports about issues with the Reflecting Pool’s liner were already on Pirro’s radar, raising questions about why she brought the case at all, and why she would seek a felony conviction over the matter rather than the misdemeanor charge for which Hearn was initially arrested.

“Recent filings show that Ms. Pirro’s team of prosecutors was perfectly aware of Mr. Hearn’s likely innocence before they charged him with a felony. Indeed, a ‘Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Damage Assessment’ dated two days before Mr. Hearn’s indictment, shows systemic failure and peeling of the liner around the area where Mr. Hearn’s alleged vandalism occurred,” he wrote.

“Furthermore, despite Ms. Pirro’s claims that she had the evidence to prove Mr. Hearn’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, grand jury materials show that the prosecution’s own expert on damages testified that the existing damage to the liner was so extensive that no additional cost could be attributed to any actions of Mr. Hearn.”

Prosecutors have similarly dropped other cases brought against those initially accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool, though the Justice Department offered no direct explanations in court filings for why they no longer wished to pursue charges against Justin Carreno, Cameron Thiers and Sophie Dennison-Gibby.

Pirro has overseen a number of politically sensitive cases that were later marred by issues.

A jury acquitted “sandwich guy” Sean Dunn of felony assault after he threw his submarine sandwich at immigration officers. And prosecutors ultimately walked away from building a case against six Democratic lawmakers who filmed a video noting that military officers have the power to refuse to carry out illegal orders. Though the lawmakers were asked to speak with prosecutors, Pirro’s office failed to secure a grand jury indictment, and no charges were ever filed.

Raskin argued the Hearn case was yet another example of Pirro’s office bringing politicized cases to appease the president.

“Did President Trump pressure or influence either Department to retaliate against and scapegoat an American citizen?” he asked.

“At a minimum, it appears that members of the Trump Administration were ready and willing to imprison an innocent American for a decade in a desperate effort to soothe an ex-landlord’s wounded ego about a terrible paint job and wasteful contract.”

Sophie Brams contributed.

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