Trump administration decides against new bids for Reflecting Pool repairs
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Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the government will keep the existing contractor for repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, amid questions about vandalism claims and contract awards.
The Interior Department announced that the repair work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will continue with the current contractor, rejecting the possibility of new bids, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Sunday. Burgum, who faced inquiries about the project's cost and alleged vandalism, told CNN that the same company would finish the job because it had performed well.
"We’ll use the same company, because they did a fantastic job," Burgum said on the program.
The pool, which was drained for a repainting effort ordered by President Donald Trump, suffered damage that officials attribute to vandals. Burgum described the damage as multiple cuts totaling about 350 feet and said the pool would need to be partially drained again to complete repairs.
Authorities have arrested several individuals in connection with the damage, including former Olympian David Hearn, who faces a felony charge for allegedly tearing up newly applied sealant. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro described the act as deliberate and violent, resulting in over $1,000 in damage.
The contracts for the project, awarded without competitive bidding, include a $1.7 million water-purification contract to Ohio-based Green Water Solutions and a $14.7 million repainting and waterproofing contract to Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings. About a dozen Democratic lawmakers have launched investigations, calling for a full accounting of the project's failures and accountability.
Burgum declined to comment on whether photographic evidence of the alleged vandalism exists and did not address calls for a maximum-term prison sentence for Hearn, noting that the courts would decide any penalties.