Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused the Trump administration of failing in its handling of the recent renovation of the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial. According to her, officials boasted of repainting the pool but instead turned it into a green, algae-infested swamp.
While being interviewed by Meidas Touch reporter Pablo Manriquez, Ocasio-Cortez was asked about the ongoing debate concerning the pool.
“I mean, when you defund science research, when you don’t really understand the first thing about science, yeah, they talked a bunch of smack,” said the congresswoman. “They said that they had to repaint the pool, and now they’ve turned the place into a swamp. They’ve turned it into an actual swamp.”
Ocasio-Cortez also linked the renovation project to broader spending issues. “You know, Pete Hanks is asking for another $30 billion for Iran,” she noted. “This is somebody that’s kind of going for the project right now. I’m sure he wants a bunch of other money for any other bells and whistles and personal expenditures.”
Asked whether the congresswoman opposes the project, Ocasio-Cortez replied: “Yes, of course. Of course.”
It cost about $16 million to renovate the pool. The renovation included applying new blue paint and repairing long-standing leaks. The algal bloom began shortly after the pool was refilled, prompting a decision to drain it and make further repairs.
Algal blooms had always occurred in the Reflecting Pool since its construction in 1922, and had occurred after previous renovations as well. The reasons for that include the water source, temperature, and maintenance, rather than recent renovation.
