Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool case, blaming damage on ‘botched’ installation
Prosecutors said newly obtained records show a flawed installation caused the pool damage, undermining the vandalism charge against Hearn.
- Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss vandalism charges against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, officially dropping the high-profile criminal case surrounding damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- The Department of Justice acknowledged that the pool liner's damage resulted from a "botched installation" rather than deliberate acts of criminal destruction or vandalism.
- The decision directly contradicts prior claims by President Trump, who had repeatedly insisted that "thugs" and "vandals" used blades to intentionally slice and peel up the pool's new floor.
- The dismissal follows a key court filing revealing that a National Park Service witness testified the liner was already torn, leaking, and damaged prior to Hearn's alleged involvement.
- The legal collapse marks the latest setback for the $14.7 million renovation project, which has faced widespread criticism over peeling materials, severe algae blooms, and multiple pool drainings.
359 Articles
359 Articles
The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped its lawsuits against alleged vandalism perpetrators, including former Olympic champion David Hearn, and recognizes errors in restoration work.
Nolte: Justice Departments Requests Charges Dropped in Former Olympian's Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case
District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has requested that all charges be dropped against David Hearn, the three-time Olympian who had faced up to ten years in prison for vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Trump’s Reflecting Pool lie needed a vandal. Jeanine Pirro served him up an innocent American
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was designed to return an image. This week, it returned one of Donald Trump’s Washington with almost unbearable clarity.There was the president’s expensive vanity project, its blue coating blistering and separating almost as soon as the water returned. There was Trump, unwilling to accept the possibility that something done in his name had simply failed, inventing vandals armed with knives, box cutters and my…
DOJ drops its vandalism case against an Olympian whose lawyers say he was owed an apology, not an arrest
The Department of Justice moved on Friday to drop its criminal prosecution of a former Olympian who was previously charged with destroying the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Per court records, prosecutors have pointed to management issues as the reason for the damage. CNN reported that the new filing is unusually descriptive and points to the contractors as well as other federal agencies for the bungled renovation. According to The Hill, the …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 54% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
