Trump Nominates Project 2025 Co-Author As Interior Inspector General
President Trump nominated Dennis Kirk to be inspector general of the Interior Department, a pick that would put a Project 2025 co-author in charge of any Interior review of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool prosecution.[1]
The nomination immediately drew scrutiny because Kirk helped write Project 2025, the conservative blueprint that critics say aims to reshape federal agencies, and because the post would oversee inquiries into recent decisions about the reflecting-pool case.[1] Lawmakers and legal observers pointed to a new oversight letter from Rep. Jamie Raskin seeking documents about the dismissed prosecution of Olympic canoeist David Hearn.[2] The White House has also asked the Justice Department's Criminal Division to consider bringing a new case against Hearn, raising concerns about political pressure.[3]
On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Raskin sent an oversight letter to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum asking for charging materials, evidence presented to the grand jury, and communications among DOJ, the White House and Interior.[2] The letter specifically requests transcribed grand-jury interviews of witnesses identified as "M.F." and "M.R." and cites an Interior email to the reflecting-pool contractor dated June 11, 2026 complaining about a peeling liner.[2]
Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman has already entered an order dismissing Hearn's case but left open whether the dismissal is with or without prejudice and set an August 18, 2026 deadline for the government to brief that issue.[4] U.S. Attorney Pirro moved to dismiss the indictment without prejudice after her office concluded the damage stemmed from a botched renovation, not vandalism.[4] But CBS reported White House officials last week asked DOJ to explore ways to refile the matter, including as a misdemeanor that would avoid grand-jury procedures, and said Pirro was seen entering the White House carrying boxes said to contain Interior materials that could exculpate Hearn.[3]
Mainstream coverage has shifted in recent days: initial reporting presented the dismissal as a straightforward legal correction, while later accounts from CBS showing White House interest in reviving the prosecution have reframed the story as one of possible political interference.[2][3] Raskin warned his requests could lead to a broader investigation if Democrats regain the House majority, a prospect that lawmakers say makes the choice of an inspector general particularly consequential.[2]
Show source details & analysis (4 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Rep. Jamie Raskin sent an oversight letter to U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum demanding documents on the now‑dismissed prosecution of Olympic canoeist David Hearn (Rep. Jamie Raskin).
- Raskin’s oversight letter asks for all materials related to the charging decision, evidence presented to the grand jury, and communications between DOJ, the White House, and the Interior Department about the case (oversight letter).
- The letter specifically requests transcribed interviews of grand jury witnesses identified as “M.F.” and “M.R.” and cites an Interior email to the Reflecting Pool contractor dated June 11, 2026 complaining about a peeling liner that DOJ prosecutors reportedly received only after indicting Hearn (transcribed interviews).
- Raskin framed his questions around whether DOJ knowingly brought a bogus indictment, whether Interior withheld exculpatory evidence, and whether President Trump pressured agencies to scapegoat Hearn, noting Trump publicly pressured Pirro to revive the case (Rep. Jamie Raskin).
- MS NOW notes that as minority members Democrats currently lack subpoena power, but Raskin signaled this probe could be a precursor to a full investigation if Democrats retake the House majority in November (Democrats).
- Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman entered an order dismissing David Hearn’s reflecting‑pool case but left open whether the dismissal is with or without prejudice, setting an August 18, 2026 government deadline to brief that issue followed by a defense reply and a hearing the following month (Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman).
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to dismiss the case without prejudice after her office concluded the reflecting pool damage stemmed from a botched renovation, not vandalism by Hearn (U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro).
- CBS reports that White House officials last week asked DOJ's Criminal Division to consider ways to bring a new Reflecting Pool case against David Hearn and that DOJ and the White House explored whether the matter could be refiled as a misdemeanor that would not require grand‑jury involvement, though no decision has been reached (DOJ's Criminal Division).
- After public criticism from President Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, sources told CBS that Pirro was seen entering the White House carrying boxes of evidence said to contain Interior Department materials that exculpated Hearn and others of vandalism (Jeanine Pirro).
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS reports that White House officials last week asked DOJ's Criminal Division to consider ways to bring a new Reflecting Pool criminal case against David Hearn despite U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s earlier move to dismiss his felony indictment.
- The article adds that after public criticism from President Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Pirro was seen entering the White House carrying boxes of evidence that sources say held Interior Department materials exculpating Hearn and others of vandalism.
- CBS specifies that DOJ and the White House explored whether the matter could be refiled as a misdemeanor that would not require grand jury involvement, though no decision has been reached.
- The article confirms that Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman has already entered an order dismissing David Hearn’s reflecting‑pool case but left open whether the dismissal is with or without prejudice, and set an August 18, 2026 government deadline to brief that issue, followed by a defense reply and a hearing next month.
- It reiterates that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to dismiss the case without prejudice after her office determined the reflecting pool damage was due to a botched renovation, not vandalism by Hearn.
- On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, sent an oversight letter to U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum demanding documents on the now-dismissed prosecution of Olympic canoeist David Hearn for alleged Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool damage.
- Raskin’s letter asks for all materials related to the charging decision, evidence presented to the grand jury, and communications between DOJ, the White House, and the Interior Department about the case.
- He specifically requests transcribed interviews of grand jury witnesses identified as “M.F.” and “M.R.” and cites an Interior email to the Reflecting Pool contractor dated June 11, 2026, complaining about peeling liner more than a week before Hearn’s arrest, which DOJ prosecutors only received after indicting Hearn.
- Raskin frames his questions around whether DOJ knowingly brought a bogus indictment, whether Interior withheld exculpatory evidence, and whether President Trump pressured agencies to scapegoat Hearn, noting Trump has publicly pressured Pirro to revive the case despite her July dismissal acknowledging the damage stemmed from a botched installation.
- The article notes that as minority members, Democrats lack subpoena power, but Raskin signals this probe could be a precursor to a full investigation if Democrats retake the House majority in November.