'Truly SHOCKING' Watch MS NOW's INSTANT REACTION to DOJ nixing Reflecting Pool case

The Justice Department dismissed charges against David Hearn, finding that the pool on the National Mall was damaged by a “botched” installation — not vandalism. Watch MS NOW's coverage of the news at it happened and instant analysis and reaction.

Drop of Charges in the Reflecting Pool Case: The Trump administration's Justice Department dropped its criminal case against David Hearn, a former Olympian who had been charged with felony vandalism for allegedly cutting a 350-foot gash in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's new liner. In a filing, prosecutors stated that the damage was actually caused by a botched and rushed installation by the project's contractor, rather than criminal vandalism.

Standoff Over Todd Blanch's Nomination: The Senate confirmation of acting Attorney General Todd Blanch has stalled in the Judiciary Committee. Republican Senators Tom Tillis and John Cornyn are blocking the nomination until they receive a formal, written agreement from Donald Trump confirming that his $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" settlement fund is completely dead, while also raising concerns regarding tax immunity provisions.

Legal and Political Fallout: Trump's legal team filed an appeal against a federal judge's ruling that deemed a $10 billion lawsuit a "bad faith" effort meant to establish a sham settlement. Meanwhile, legal analysts and commentators on the program heavily criticized the Department of Justice for bringing forward politically motivated charges and making false claims to defend the administration's narrative.