US Attorney Jeanine Pirro has been at the center of controversy after President Trump publicly criticized her for dropping charges against a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The US Attorney's office has since moved to dismiss charges against three additional defendants accused of the same crime.
On Monday, Trump lashed out at Pirro during an Oval Office press conference, expressing his disappointment with her handling of the case. He claimed that she "choked" and that people were getting away with things due to her actions. Pirro was spotted at the White House following the press conference, where she met with the President and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
The US Attorney's office dropped charges against the three defendants, including Justin Carreno, Sophie Dennison-Gibby, and Cameron Thiers, on the same day they dropped the case against former Olympian David Hearn. According to court documents, Pirro's office moved to dismiss all three cases last Friday.
A grand jury in Washington, D.C., returned an indictment against Hearn in June, charging him with vandalizing the Reflecting Pool. He faced up to ten years in prison if convicted. However, the US Attorney's office claimed that the damage was caused by flawed installation by the contractor and the rush to complete the project prior to the America 250 celebration.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum pushed back against Pirro's office, claiming that they had provided evidence of the vandalism, including expert and eyewitness testimony. Trump also shared a four-minute-long surveillance video of alleged vandals, writing on social media that the material was being cut with a knife or a box cutter.
