2026年8月16日 美国东部时间晚上8:54 / 福克斯新闻
布兰奇表示，他还将考虑白宫提出的一项请求，即考虑对戴维·赫恩提起新的轻罪起诉
作者：邦妮·朱，福克斯新闻
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美国司法部长托德·布兰奇周日表示，他支持美国检察官吉妮·皮尔罗，此前皮尔罗的办公室提出撤销涉及新翻修的林肯纪念堂倒影池的破坏案。
联邦检察官于7月31日提出撤销对奥运皮划艇运动员戴维·赫恩的指控。赫恩被指控破坏了这座价值1400万美元的工程，此前该水池被发现存在裂缝、藻类滋生和密封剂剥落等问题。检察官援引的证据表明，这些损坏可能源于一场失败的翻修工程，而非蓄意破坏。
布兰奇表示，他和总统唐纳德·特朗普都支持皮尔罗，但同时承认，他不会指责总统对该案撤诉的反应，因为“潜在的破坏行为”仍有可能存在。
“我绝对支持美国检察官皮尔罗，特朗普总统也是如此，”他在NBC的《与媒体见面》节目中说道。
特朗普敦促吉妮·皮尔罗重新审理已撤诉的林肯纪念堂倒影池破坏案
资料图： 美国司法部长托德·布兰奇（右）表示，在颇具争议的林肯纪念堂倒影池破坏案撤诉后，他和总统唐纳德·特朗普支持华盛顿特区联邦检察官吉妮·皮尔罗（左）。（汤姆·威廉姆斯/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./亚历克斯·王/盖蒂图片社）
“这与总统对该案中发生的事情感到极度沮丧是两回事。我绝不会因此在任何方面指责他。”
布兰奇澄清称，法庭文件并未认定所有损坏都是由施工失误造成的，并指出据报道有一名证人称看到赫恩破坏倒影池。不过，他也承认，仅凭证人证言不足以证明该案成立。
“嗯，有一名证人说‘我看到被告破坏了倒影池’。但这与我们最终能否拿到证据是两码事。”
赫恩一直坚称自己无罪。
特朗普再次强调倒影池破坏指控，援引新证人证言
奥运皮划艇运动员戴维·赫恩（左）被指控在国家广场发现损坏后，破坏了新翻修的林肯纪念堂倒影池；右图为损坏的水池。（戴维·麦迪逊/盖蒂图片社，资料图；路透社/安娜贝尔·戈登）
尽管该案存在证据方面的问题，布兰奇仍表示，皮尔罗在起诉涉及纪念物和纪念碑的破坏行为方面做得“非常出色”。
他发表上述言论之前，皮尔罗的办公室于上周四针对一起涉及退伍军人纪念碑的价值1000美元的财产破坏案提起了诉讼。一名名叫梅利莎·L.法里斯的女性嫌疑人被指控用亮粉色油漆喷涂了“清白之手，日记资金”字样，并将泡泡皂倒入纪念碑的喷泉中。
“美国检察官皮尔罗在这方面的执法工作做得非常出色，她正在追捕所有犯下此类行为的人。我认为，仅凭我们掌握的证据就用一个案子来评判她是不公平的，”他说。
布兰奇还表示，他将考虑上周四白宫提出的一项请求，即在皮尔罗的办公室撤销最初的破坏案后，要求司法部探索是否可以对赫恩提起新的轻罪起诉。
国家广场二战纪念碑遭喷涂粉色油漆；喷泉溢出泡泡皂
2026年8月13日，破坏者在华盛顿特区的二战纪念碑上倾倒泡泡皂并喷涂涂鸦。（左图和右下角：布鲁克·库尔托/福克斯新闻数字，右图：安德鲁·莱登/ZUMA Press Wire）
“我会考虑美国总统对某件事的看法吗？当然会，”他说。
“这当然是我会认真听取的意见。”
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https://www.foxnews.com/video/6400047902112
Todd Blanche backs Jeanine Pirro after Lincoln Memorial pool vandalism case dismissal
August 16, 2026 8:54pm EDT / Fox News
Blanche said he would also consider the White House’s request to explore a new misdemeanor prosecution against David Hearn
By Bonny Chu, Fox News
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U.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.
TRUMP URGES JEANINE PIRRO TO REVISIT DROPPED LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM CASE
FILE – U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, right, said he and President Donald Trump support Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., left, following the disputed dismissal of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“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.
TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM ALLEGATIONS, CITES NEW WITNESS ACCOUNT
Olympic canoeist David Hearn, left, was accused of vandalizing the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after damage, right, was discovered at the National Mall.(David Madison/Getty Images, File; REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon)
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.
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL ON NATIONAL MALL VANDALIZED WITH PINK SPRAY PAINT; FOUNTAIN OVERFLOWING WITH BUBBLES
Vandals poured bubble soap and painted graffiti on the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. on August 13, 2026.((L and Bottom Right) Brooke Curto/Fox News Digital, (R) Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire)
“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.”
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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Bonny Chu is a Breaking and Trending News Writer for Fox News Digital
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6400047902112