Trump allies claim Pirro's special grand jury is a desperate bid for favor
Donald Trump supporters argue that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro convened a rare special grand jury in Washington, D.C. as a last-ditch effort to regain the president’s confidence.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro quietly called a special grand jury in Washington, D.C., a rarity typically used for intricate organized-crime or financial fraud probes. The timing coincides with her recent dismissal of charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been linked to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a case the attorney attributed to faulty contractor work on a Trump-commissioned renovation.
Donald Trump’s inner circle interprets the grand jury as a desperate attempt by Pirro to win back the president’s favor and safeguard her job, a view echoed by an unnamed administration official. Despite Pirro’s conclusions, Trump continues to assert that vandals targeted the reflecting pool and the nearby World War II Memorial. The special grand jury will be led by Pirro’s longtime ally Steven Vandervelden, who previously assisted with probes such as the dropped inquiry into former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Sources note the unusual step comes shortly after a Senate oversight committee voted to hold former White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci in contempt for invoking the Fifth Amendment. The Daily Beast has sought comments from both the White House and Pirro’s office.
Why it matters
The episode highlights how legal mechanisms may be used for political maneuvering within the Trump administration.
How this story developed
- Aug 1 Justice Department admits contractor error, not vandals, caused Reflecting Pool damage
- Aug 5 National Park Service staff released a list of 37 sites they say may be adversely impacted by the proposed arch.
- Aug 10 President Trump highlighted a National Park Service worker’s account alleging David Hearn violently damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, despite prosecutors moving to drop the felony charge.
- Aug 10 The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts granted preliminary approval to the design last month.
- Aug 10 The House Judiciary Committee announced it will subpoena Justice and Interior Department records related to the indictment.
- Aug 11 The Justice Department filed to drop the criminal case against the four suspects.
- Aug 11 White House asked the Justice Department to consider filing fresh charges against David Hearn.
- Aug 13 The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. was defaced on Thursday with bubble foam and spray-painted slogans.
- Aug 14 President Trump publicly denounced the vandalism on his social platform.
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