GOP Senator Sounds Off on Reflecting Pool Fracas: ‘This Whole Thing is a Multiple Vehicle Pile-Up!’
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) compared the seemingly never-ending controversy around President Donald Trump’s revamp of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to a massive car wreck during a Sunday appearance on Meet the Press.
Moderator Kristen Welker asked the Republican lawmaker about the pool, one day after the president ripped U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro for dropping criminal charges against a man accused of vandalizing the pool.
“This was a case that the DOJ had said was open and shut. They said they could prove it beyond a reasonable doubt,” Welker said. “Does this reversal undercut the public’s faith in the Justice Department, senator?”
“Well, the whole thing is a multiple vehicle pile-up,” Kennedy said. “Let me start with the president. [The] resident says it was caused by vandals. I don’t know whether he really believes that, or it’s part of his political messaging, or he’s just thinking out loud. You and I both know the President well. He exists loudly, and he grows anxious when he has an unexpressed thought. I’m not saying he doesn’t really believe it; I just don’t know.”
He then gave his take on Pirro:
Now, the stakes are a lot higher for U.S. Attorney Pirro. You can’t lie to a federal judge. If she can’t prove her case, she was right to pull back. Because if you fool around with a federal judge, you will find out. When I was in private practice, one time I put my briefcase on a brand new conference table bought by a federal judge.
And he got so mad, I’ll never forget, I thought I was going to get to spend overnight with Bubba in central lockup. Federal judges will not tolerate. And so I don’t know why she filed the suit without doing a full investigation. She says she relied on the Department of Interior. But she was smart to pull it back.
Kennedy’s answer comes after Trump said he disagreed “100%” with Pirro’s decision.
“I don’t know what she was thinking? To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass, which had a big 86 47 emblazoned in giant letters on it, and other elements of the surrounding area,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!”
Trump followed his post up with several videos he said backed up his case.
Weatch above via NBC.
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