Washington — U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro withdrew vandalism charges last week against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who had been accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool, a shift that drew sharp criticism from former President Donald Trump.
The charges, initially announced on July 2 and described by Pirro as a priority for the Justice Department and a personal matter, accused Hearn of willfully destroying government property by damaging the pool’s lining. Prosecutors had characterized the damage as extensive and intentional, justifying felony charges with potential prison time.
However, on Friday, Pirro reversed course in a 20-page court filing that blamed the U.S. Department of Interior and its contractors for providing misleading information. The filing attributed the damage primarily to flaws in a recent, yet hurried, renovation managed by the Interior Department and executed by a Virginia-based contractor awarded a no-bid contract. Pirro’s office stated it had initially relied heavily on Interior Department assessments and law enforcement reports to support the charges but, after reviewing thousands of documents and internal evaluations, concluded that the damage was largely due to installation errors rather than vandalism.
The reversal signaled an acknowledgment that the initial prosecution was compromised by incomplete or inaccurate information from government officials responsible for the renovation. Pirro criticized the rushed repair work ahead of the America250 celebration, suggesting it was a significant factor in the pool’s condition.
Trump responded swiftly to the decision, posting on his social media platform that he disagreed “100%” with Pirro’s withdrawal of charges. He described the incident as a clear case of vandalism and accused vandals of causing the majority of the damage, dismissing the contractor issues as secondary. Trump’s public condemnation highlighted tensions between the former president and Pirro, who had been an ally and supporter for decades.
The case has drawn attention to broader concerns regarding the Justice Department under Trump-appointed attorneys, with critics noting a pattern of aggressive prosecutions based on the president’s accusations that have often failed to hold up in court. Legal observers point out that grand juries in Washington and elsewhere have increasingly rejected such indictments.
David Hearn’s defense team insisted that he merely touched a piece of the pool’s coating already detached and complied when asked by park officials to release it, maintaining that he left the pool no worse than he found it. They also highlighted that prior to his involvement, the pool had already shown significant cracks and water leakage. Defense lawyers criticized the original presentation to the grand jury as misleading and noted ongoing evaluation of legal options.
Spokespersons for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined additional comment, stating the court filing speaks for itself. Meanwhile, the controversy has shifted some scrutiny to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Park Police officials, who were implicated in the mismanagement and inaccurate reporting that influenced the case.