Pirro Convenes Special Grand Jury After Trump Clash Over Reflecting Pool Case
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro has made a rare move by convening a special grand jury, according to The Washington Post. The legal body is positioned to examine major cases, even if federal prosecutors ultimately decide not to file charges.
A special grand jury can issue a report without bringing an indictment. That gives it a broader role than a standard charging grand jury and could allow findings to emerge even when prosecutors do not pursue a criminal case.
Exclusive: The Justice Department has convened a special grand jury in D.C., a rare legal body that officials say could pave the way for federal prosecutors in the nation’s capital to investigate some of its biggest and most controversial cases. https://t.co/s3qzIvdQBs
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 12, 2026
The panel will be overseen by Steven Vanderveldon, the same prosecutor who investigated former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The precise purpose of the special grand jury remains unclear.
The decision comes after a public clash between President Donald Trump and Pirro over the Justice Department’s handling of the Lincoln Reflecting Pool vandalism cases. Trump had urged Pirro to “revisit” the case after she asked a judge to dismiss the charges against former Olympian David Hearn.
The Justice Department dismissed the case against Hearn on Friday. Hearn had been arrested and charged with misdemeanor destruction of property after allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Reflecting Pool in June. A grand jury indicted him on felony charges last month.
Hearn is a three-time Olympic canoeist. He was charged with felony destruction of government property and faced as much as 10 years in prison.
Pirro dropped the case, arguing that the damage resulted from “flawed installation by the contractor.” That decision drew a sharp response from Trump, who criticized the move earlier this month and said she “choked.”
“Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after and went after her department,” Trump said. “And I guess she choked. I don’t know what the hell happened.”
Later that day, Pirro was seen entering the West Wing carrying a box of evidence. The special grand jury now adds another unusual layer to a dispute already centered on the decision to abandon a high-profile federal case.