Jeanine Pirro Blames Department Of Interior For Her Failed Reflecting Pool Case
District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro blamed the Department of Interior (DOI) for her failed criminal case against a former Olympian she accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool.
In a new filing on Friday, Pirro said she was dropping the charges because her office had received information “showing that the damage was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism as initially represented by DOI,” which is helmed by Secretary Doug Burgum.
Pirro also placed some blame on President Donald Trump’s demand that renovations on the pool be completed by the country’s 250th birthday on July 4.
“The rush to complete the project led to hasty and botched work that was not remediated before the project was finished and the fencing removed,” she argued.
“A recent visual inspection showed damage throughout the Reflecting Pool, even in the middle of the pool, where a vandal would not likely attempt to peel the lining,” the filing reads. “Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism.”
Pirro’s claims contradict her statements earlier this month, in which she confidently asserted that Hearn had intentionally caused more than $1,000 in damages to the pool by “forcefully and violently” pulling on the liner.
“This is a case with tremendous evidence,” she said during a news conference announcing the felony charge against Hearn.
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California Lettuce Growers Destroy Crops As Customers Cut Back: WSJ
California lettuce growers are destroying their crops as customers scale back on consumption amid fears of the cyclospora outbreak, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Domestic growers have been plowing their lettuce into the ground and cutting back on staff as demand for produce has dipped. They’ve been among the most heavily affected, even though federal health authorities haven’t implicated them in the outbreak thus far.
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‘Where’s Mitch?’: Attendees At Kentucky Event Question McConnell’s Absence
Democratic attendees made their concerns about Sen. Mitch McConnell known this weekend, chanting “Where’s Mitch?” at an annual Kentucky event, according to a New York Times dispatch.
The crowd reaction at the state’s “Fancy Farm” picnic, which is a signature political gathering in Kentucky, highlighted the growing scrutiny of the Republican senator’s absence since his hospitalization in June. Although McConnell has released written statements about his condition, he’s given no interviews, prompting questions and speculation about his capacity to serve.
“I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky this Saturday,” McConnell said in a statement released last Monday.
According to The Lexington Herald-Leader, Republican attendees at the event responded with “Where’s Beshear?” chants, in reference to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D). Beshear told reporters that he was missing the event to attend his son’s last high school travel baseball tournament.
“Funny how the Republicans are all mad I missed one political event to watch my son play baseball. But no outrage that Mitch McConnell has been nowhere to be seen for 50 days,” Beshear wrote in a statement on X on Saturday.
Former Texas Rep. Kay Granger Has Died At 83
Former U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Tex.), the first Republican woman Texas voters elected to the House, has died, according to a statement shared by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). She was 83.
“Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee,” Johnson wrote in his statement.
“Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service,” he added. “She was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee.”
During her last term in Congress, Granger faced scrutiny after she was found residing in a senior living facility following an extended absence from the House.
California Democratic Party Breaks With Newsom, Endorses Billionaire Tax
The California Democratic Party on Sunday broke with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and backed Proposition 40, a proposed tax on billionaires that will be on the state’s ballot this fall.
The endorsement underscores the support that the measure, which would levy a one-time 5% wealth tax on roughly 200 of the state’s richest residents, has picked up among some California Democrats.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) are among the lawmakers who have lined up behind the proposal, which they argue will help combat inequality and cover health care costs. Others like Newsom have opposed it, citing claims that it could drive billionaires from the state.
“Every endorsement we make is earned, not given,” California Democratic Party chair Rusty Hicks said in a statement. “California Democrats take a deliberative approach to our endorsement process that puts our values first and ensures our members have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of our state.”
Rep. Kaptur Is Being Treated For Non-Life-Threatening Injuries After Car Crash
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle she was riding in was struck on Sunday morning, according to a statement from the Congresswoman’s office.
Kaptur was en route to a church service when the incident took place, and is “active” and “alert,” the statement said.
Two people were brought to the hospital following the “hit-skip crash” on Sunday, a Toledo Police Department spokesperson told NBC News, which described the collision as a “hit-and-run.”
“We look forward to additional information from Toledo Police as they investigate the accident,” Kaptur’s statement said. “...[Congresswoman Kaptur] expressed her deep gratitude to the hundreds of constituents who have reached out and looks forward to returning to a full schedule soon.”
The Toledo Police Department did not immediately respond to a HuffPost request for comment.
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GOP Senator Says His Ex-Son-In-Law Rep. Max Miller Needs Help Amid Domestic Abuse Allegations
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) said his ex-son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), needs “serious psychological help” and should not hold elected office just one hour after Miller went live on X denying the domestic and child abuse allegations his ex-wife has accused him of.
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In-N-Out Employee Among Those Who Were Killed Saturday In Shooting, Restaurant Says
In-N-Out Burger said one of their employees was killed in Saturday’s shooting at one of their Idaho restaurants.
“My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, me eyes burn from the tears I’ve shed,” Lynsi Snyder, president and owner of In-N-Out, wrote Sunday on Instagram.
Snyder said the employee was killed by a “disgusting human” while the employee was taking care of In-N-Out’s “most important asset,” their customers.
“I love you all, and I ask you to turn to God, not in anger, but seeking comfort and strength for those who are hurting,” Snyder wrote.
On Saturday, three people were killed and several others were injured in a shooting at an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho. The suspected shooter is dead.
Allies Fear The U.S. May Be Headed For A Strategic Defeat In Iran: NYT
Allies believe the war in Iran has hurt the U.S. and left it in a weaker position, The New York Times reported.
Experts who spoke to the Times said allies fear the U.S. has lost credibility amid Trump’s ever-shifting explanations for the war and his benchmarks for success. They expressed concerns that the war could spiral into an open-ended conflict, as any deal made would be viewed with skepticism by Iran.
“No one wants to be subject to a whipsaw foreign policy that doesn’t know its limits, and that is a strategic defeat,” Robin Niblett, a former director of Chatham House, a think tank in London, told the Times.
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