Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool case, blaming damage on ‘botched’ installation
Prosecutors said new information showed the pool damage came from a flawed contractor installation and maintenance work, not vandalism.
- 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.
309 Articles
309 Articles
Jeanine Pirro Will Drop Reflecting Pool Vandalism Charges Against Ex-Olympian
Contradicting claims made repeatedly by President Donald Trump, U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro now says she will seek to dismiss a felony charge against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn who had been accused of ripping up a small square piece of new blue lining from the renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In a motion filed Friday […]
'So It Wasn't Vandals?': Trump's Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case Against Olympian Implodes After DOJ's Shocking Admission About What Really Caused the Damage
President Donald Trump's troubled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation has taken an explosive turn. The roughly $14 million renovation meant to
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
West Hawaii TodayCharges dropped in reflecting pool case as prosecutors say work was ‘botched’
Federal prosecutors Friday acknowledged that contractors hired by the Trump administration had “botched” the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and sought to drop charges against David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist who was one of several people accused of vandalizing the landmark. The post Charges dropped in reflecting pool case as prosecutors say work was ‘botched’ appeared first on Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
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