Former Olympian Indicted for Reflecting Pool Vandalism

Former U.S. Olympian canoeist David Hearn, 67, has been indicted on a felony charge of destruction of property for allegedly vandalizing the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C., according to court records reported by multiple outlets.

The indictment accuses Hearn of 'maliciously' breaking or destroying lining material on the bottom of the pool on June 19, causing more than $1,000 in damage. The charge, brought in local Superior Court, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Hearn's lawyers have denied the allegations and accused the Trump administration of treating ordinary conduct as criminal. 'These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American,' said Hearn's attorneys, Norm Eisen and Mary Dohrmann, in a statement reported by multiple outlets.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, a Trump ally, stated during a news conference that Hearn 'forcefully and violently' pulled on the pool liner with both hands and shouted at a National Park Service employee who confronted him. Pirro described the incident as a deliberate act to damage the Reflecting Pool.

Hearn previously acknowledged reaching into the pool while cycling in the area but denied vandalizing it. He told U.S. media outlets that he tugged on a partially detached piece of liner but did not remove anything. Pirro estimated that Hearn damaged about two square feet of the liner.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed problems with the pool following a $16 million renovation on vandals. He claimed that vandals made 250- to 350-foot-long cuts in the bottom of the pool but has not provided evidence to back up those claims, according to multiple reports.

Days before the incident, crews finished the Trump-ordered project to lay down new liner the President had called 'American flag blue' in time for celebrations that honor the 250th anniversary of US independence on July 4. After workers treated it with chemicals to kill the algae, the painted blue lining on the bottom began to peel.

Jeanine Pirro lashed out at a reporter during a news conference after he tried to compare Hearn's case to the January 6 Capitol rioters. The reporter questioned why charges were being brought against Hearn when over 1,000 individuals involved in the January 6 riots had caused millions of dollars in damages. Pirro quickly dismissed the comparison.

Hearn has maintained his innocence, stating that he only touched a 'loose flap of coating' out of curiosity and did not cause any damage. He shared an image of the pool's damaged facade, claiming the charges are part of a false narrative to shift blame for the administration's failures.