Senators press Interior nominee over reflecting-pool damage claims and related arrests

Senator White House spent a significant portion of the confirmation hearing pressing Kevin Lily about the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, the president’s public claims that vandals cut a ‘‘350 foot gash’’ into the pool, and arrests made by U.S. Park Police.

White House said the president had described a long cut and that arrests of visitors around the reflecting pool had followed; he questioned whether arrests were being made to ‘‘vindicate a political narrative’’ and asked Lily directly, ‘‘Was there or was there not a 350 foot gash in the reflecting pool?’’

Lily declined to provide investigatory details during the public hearing, citing an ongoing investigation, and repeatedly defended the Park Police. When pressed for a yes-or-no answer, Lily said he ‘‘stands by my statement’’ that officers involved were ‘‘doing their duty’’ and that he had been impressed by the Park Police’s professionalism.

White House probed further about whether the Interior Office of Inspector General had been asked to review contracts and the reflecting-pool work; Lily said he did not know of any IG inquiry, and added that contracting officers involved are career professionals who, in his view, acted in compliance with the law.

The committee heard no investigative findings during the hearing and no documentary evidence was presented on the record about the size or source of the alleged damage. The exchange ended with White House warning that arrests made without evidence of a crime could ‘‘fare very badly in court’’ and with Lily reiterating his willingness to meet privately with senators when information becomes public.

The reflecting-pool questions remained unresolved at the hearing’s end; senators may pursue the matter via requests for documents, IG inquiries or subsequent oversight.