Federal prosecutors have moved to dismiss felony charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool, according to a court filing submitted Friday by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro.
In the filing to D.C. Superior Court, Pirro stated that her office received information and evidence after the indictment that “significantly undermine the evidentiary basis” for the charges. The damage to the pool’s sealant, she wrote, resulted from a “flawed installation” rather than deliberate vandalism.
Hearn, 67, had been charged with felony destruction of property in early July. At the time, Pirro claimed during a press conference that Hearn had “violently” ripped up part of the pool’s liner with his bare hands. His attorneys characterized the prosecution as an attempt to make their client a “scapegoat” for what they described as an expensive and troubled renovation project that President Donald Trump had frequently promoted.
Interior Department Blamed for Incomplete Information
The reversal came after the Department of the Interior provided additional documents to prosecutors showing that damage occurring in June was the “result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings,” according to Pirro’s filing. She also cited “the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026” as a contributing factor.
Pirro’s motion placed pointed blame on the Interior Department for providing inadequate information. She wrote that the department “provided less than fulsome information at the outset of this case” and only began sharing critical details after prosecutors “repeatedly reached out to DOI dozens and dozens of times.”
“Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” Pirro stated in the filing.
Renovation Plagued by Delays and Problems
The court filing provided new details about complications that affected the Reflecting Pool renovation from its early stages. Pirro pointed to “a combination of very rainy and windy weather, repeated failures of testing on the sealing of the expansion joints, and delays in obtaining sealing product at the worksite.”
“The rush to complete the project led to hasty and botched work that was not remediated before the project was finished and the fencing removed,” she wrote.
The Trump administration had awarded Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC a no-bid contract for the work. According to CNBC, Trump said in April that he selected a contractor that had previously worked on one of his swimming pools. After the pool appeared to continue leaking following renovation, Trump repeatedly claimed without evidence that vandals had cut a lengthy gash along the bottom.
Defense Attorneys Demand Apology
Hearn’s legal team, which includes Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann and Steve Levin, issued a statement saying the case “should have never been brought.”
“Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong,” the attorneys stated. “The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology.”
Four days before Pirro’s dismissal motion, Hearn’s attorneys had filed documents stating that the government’s key grand jury witness “testified that the property was already damaged before Mr. Hearn allegedly touched it.”
A website associated with Atlantic Industrial Coatings features an update dated June 21 stating that the company, working with the U.S. Park Service, “has identified some areas in the Reflecting Pool that require repairs.” The update notes these areas represent “a very small part of the massive 7 acre project, and do not indicate a failure of the liner.”
The Interior Department, the White House, and Atlantic Industrial Coatings did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/31/trump-pirro-reflecting-pool-olympian-david-hearn.html
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Do your own research and consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
