Immigration Angle re: Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Restoration Fiasco
In a story this week, WaPo reported the story of one individual charged with a misdemeanor related to Reflecting Pool damage: a veterinarian by the name of Sophie Dennison-Gibby who just so happens to be a naturalized citizen originally from England.
Dennison-Gibby tells WaPo that she is “rather obsessed about picking up litter.” She spotted some in the reflecting pool when walking past, bent to pick it up, only to realize it was the pool bottom peeling.
A U.S. Marshall promptly arrested Dennison-Gibby. She was handcuffed, surrounded by other officers, taken to a detention center for fingerprints and processing, and ultimately released.
Her case was later dismissed when the more high profile case against David Hearn was dismissed. That's because the US Attorney conceded the reflection pool was damaged by the folks hired to repair the pool, not Dennison-Gibby or the others charged with its vandalization. Mind you, Trump has said that this isn't true and has attacked the US Attorney (a former FOX News host) for the decision to drop prosecutions.
Dennison-Gibby told WaPo:
“To be called out by the most powerful person in the world, the president of the United States, and called a sick, violent vandal when all I had done was pick up a piece of trash was awful," ...
“The whole experience has just been so heartbreaking. I chose this country. I’ve been naturalized here for 12 years... Nothing about this feels good.”
