Charges dropped against ex-Olympian over Reflecting Pool damage after Trump admin admits ‘flawed installation’
Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool vandalism charges against former Olympian
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is moving to dismiss criminal charges against David Hearn, who was accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- The dismissal follows the Trump administration admitting that damage to the pool's blue liner was due to "flawed installation by the contractor," not vandalism.
- Pirro had initially charged Hearn with felony destruction of property, publicly claiming he "woefully destroyed property" in a "deliberate act."
- Court filings indicate the recently applied sealant began peeling "almost immediately" after renovations, and a key grand jury witness testified the pool was leaking significantly before Hearn's arrest.
- Hearn's legal team criticized the case as an "abuse of government power" and stated the Trump administration owes Hearn an apology.
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