Lawyers in Reflecting Pool case say Justice Department knew case was flawed
Aug 05, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for a former Olympian charged with damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool say that the Justice Department knew or should have known for weeks that its case was flawed. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro last week moved to dismiss the indictment against David Hearn, saying
in a 20-page filing that newly produced evidence from the Interior Department showed the former Olympic canoeist was not responsible for damage to the pool’s lining. Pirro’s office attributed the damage instead to a botched installation by a contractor and a rushed schedule directed by President Donald Trump. Lawyers for Hearn on Tuesday (Aug. 4, 2026) urged a judge to permanently dismiss the case and foreclose the possibility that the Trump administration could revive it.
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