Pirro Accuses Burgum of Reflecting Pool Cover-Up as Interior Workforce Shrinks 14%
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 7
Pirro Accuses Burgum of Reflecting Pool Cover-Up as Interior Workforce Shrinks 14%
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 7
Summary
Pirro told Trump that Doug Burgum covered up botched Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool repairs after prosecutors dropped vandalism charges, saying Interior withheld evidence showing installation errors caused the liner damage.
Dozens of prosecutor inquiries went unanswered or were answered inaccurately, according to Pirro’s filing, which said the government would not have sought indictments had Interior disclosed what it already knew.
14% of Interior’s workforce has left under Burgum through layoffs, buyouts and retirements, while several senior officials — including his chief of staff and top lawyer — have departed.
Former staffers and lobbyists told POLITICO the department has grown secretive, citing alleged nondisclosure agreements, disappearing Signal messages, document shredding and a $215,000 upgrade to an existing SCIF.
The dispute deepens scrutiny of Burgum’s management as he leads Trump’s energy agenda, though the White House and Interior say he runs a high-performing team and deny the allegations.