The United States Department of Justice dropped a felony vandalism case on July 31 against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, 67, after acknowledging that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by a botched installation rather than criminal activity. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro filed a motion on Friday afternoon stating that new evidence undermined the evidentiary basis for the indictment.
Justice Department Drops Vandalism Charges Against Former Olympian
Hearn had been accused of forcefully and violently
ripping the pool’s new liner on June 19. He faced a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison for the destruction of government property. Hearn denied the allegations, stating he had merely touched a piece of partially detached liner to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen
after a bike ride. He was arrested by US Park Police and subsequently pleaded not guilty to charges involving more than $1,000 in damages.
Botched Installation and Rushed Timeline
In court filings, Pirro admitted that the damage was the result of a flawed installation by the contractor and not vandalism, contrary to initial representations by the Department of the Interior. The prosecutor attributed the failure to a rush to complete the renovation project before the Independence Day holiday, which marked the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Pirro cited several factors contributing to the botched work, including:
- Inclement weather
- Delayed installation work
- Repeated testing failures
- Over spraying and delamination of the lining
A National Park Service engineer had observed the new lining beginning to peel on June 11, just two days after the site’s final inspection. Pirro noted that her office did not receive these documents from the Department of the Interior until after the indictment against Hearn had been returned, blaming barebones police reports
for the initial misunderstanding.
Controversy Over No-Bid Contract
The Reflecting Pool project was part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump to beautify the capital. The renovation included the addition of an American flag blue
liner to the 618-metre (2,028-foot) pool. While the original budget was less than $2 million, the project eventually cost an estimated $16 million. According to reports from CBS and BBC News, the contract was awarded to a contractor chosen by Trump himself without the competitive bidding process typical for government work.
Despite the high cost, the pool was plagued by structural failures, leaks, and algae blooms. Pieces of the blue sealant reportedly peeled off within days of application. Consequently, crews have had to drain the pool for the second time in three months to perform additional repairs and remove debris from July 4 fireworks.
Legal and Political Fallout
The dismissal of the case follows weeks of public statements from the Trump administration. President Trump had previously attributed the pool’s damage to unchecked vandalism and civil disorder
and “sick, deranged” vandals. In addition to Hearn, at least three other individuals were charged with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of the coating, and five others received citations.
Hearn’s legal team, including lawyers Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann, and Steve Levin, issued a statement on July 31 asserting that the case should have never been brought.
They described the arrest and charging of Hearn as an abuse of government power
and stated that the administration’s approach was ready, fire, aim.
The lawyers added that the government owes Hearn an apology.
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