"Greenwater Services" is the entirely too-literal name of the company responsible for destroying our historic Reflecting Pool. At this point, it is no surprise that the Trump administration's Reflecting Pool debacle is layered with deep corruption, turning a predictable farce into a national tragedy. Back in April, Trump allocated $1.2 million for a "renovation" of the iconic monument. By the time the pool was refilled around June 5, the cost had skyrocketed to nearly $15 million in a move familiar to anyone who has encountered old-school slumlords. Almost immediately, the water turned a toxic shade of green straight out of a low-budget horror film. As National Park Service workers in waders desperately dumped hydrogen peroxide into the water to battle the massive algae bloom, the cheap latex paint plastered over its floor began peeling away in massive chunks of "American flag blue." As the public demanded answers, attention turned to the contractor — an entity with zero experience managing priceless national monuments — and the details became even more incredibly seedy: The Shady Contractor: Several outlets recently identified the overpaid developer behind the mess as John Cafaro. His Past: Cafaro previously pled guilty in 2002 for attempting to bribe the late Representative Jim Traficant. He was also later penalized for violating federal campaign finance laws. The Pay-For-Play: The Daily Beast exposed the sweetheart deal as a blatant favor exchange. Cafaro has backed Trump since 2016, starting with a $50,000 donation, and later funneled over $300,000 into pro-Trump political committees. In exchange for this “support,” the Trump administration handed a convicted crook free rein to wreck one of America's most sacred public spaces. The pool's current state — choked with toxic scum and peeling paint chips — serves as a literal metaphor for the rot contaminating our institutions. When questioned, Interior Department spokesperson and Trump loyalist Katie Martin claimed with a straight face that the firm was chosen strictly because they had the "expertise, work force and materials." Meanwhile, the monument continues to visibly decompose right outside her office windows. Once again, public treasury and national pride have been sacrificed to enrich a well-connected donor. We are not even two years into this vengeance-fueled looting spree, and the damage is visible everywhere we look. A midterm victory for democracy is the only way to halt the destruction — remember this when you vote in November. [Image, left: REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon. Image, right: Unknown source.]