1 National Park Service Says Reflecting Pool Liner Cut With A Knife Or A Razor
A top National Park Service official said in a court filing yesterday that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was damaged by someone using a sharp knife or razor more than two weeks ago. Frank Lands, the agency's deputy director for operations, said the park service reported the damage to the U.S. Park Police on June 9th, after the renovation was mostly complete. His declaration is the first public record claiming the pool was intentionally damaged, following President Trump's repeated claims that vandals, not flawed work, caused the project's peeling surface. In the filing, Lands said the damage included caulk over the foam sealant that was cut with a sharp knife or razor, along with destruction of peeling surface material. He also said about 70 fence post tops were thrown into the pool. Earlier this week, Trump insisted to "CBS News" that vandals were to blame for problems following the $14.7 million sealant job, which has also been hit by a return of algae.
2 Supreme Court Rolls Back Limits On Carrying Guns On Private Property Open To The Public
The Supreme Court struck down a Hawaii law yesterday that barred permit holders from carrying guns onto private property open to the public unless the owner gave clear permission. In a 6 to 3 decision written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court's conservative majority said the law placed severe restrictions on the daily activities of lawful gun owners and violated the Second Amendment. Alito wrote that overwhelming evidence shows a lasting American tradition of allowing public carry. Property owners can still ban guns on their premises, but the burden now falls on them to post signs saying so. In dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, said the decision ties the hands of lawmakers trying to protect residents and shows the court cares about protecting guns above all else.
3 Iran Strikes Commercial Ship In Strait Of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards attacked a Singapore-flagged commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, a U.S. official confirmed, challenging President Trump's push to reopen the vital shipping corridor. The vessel's bridge was damaged after being struck on its right side by an unknown projectile off the coast of Oman. No injuries or environmental harm were reported from the attack. After the strike, the United Nations' International Maritime Organization temporarily paused a days-old plan to evacuate ships stranded in the Persian Gulf, saying it needed to confirm that safety guarantees were still in place. The U.S. and Iran signed a deal last week meant to bring shipping back to the strait, which normally carries a fifth of the world's oil but was largely closed during the war. Traffic had picked up sharply since, with 70 ships passing through Tuesday compared to six a week earlier, and oil prices have dropped. But disagreements remain over which route ships should use, with Iran demanding they seek its permission and stay closer to its coast.