The Justice Department is admitting that a President Donald Trump-prompted $14 million renovation on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, was flawed, and is dropping the criminal case against former Olympian David Hearn that accused him of damaging the pool, according to a new court filing from DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
“It was not until after the return of the indictment [of Hearn], that the [Department of Interior] provided additional documents to the [US Attorney’s Office in DC] indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026,” Pirro’s office wrote.
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Hearn’s attorneys said in a statement reacting to the decision, “The Trump administration’s case against David Hearn should never have 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 government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology.”
CNN has reached out to Atlantic Industrial Coatings.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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