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DOJ drops Reflecting Pool charges, admits flawed installation

Work Continues On Restoration Of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 22: The drained Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial are seen on the National Mall on July 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump ordered the pool to be drained for repairs after the project was allegedly vandalized.
Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images


In an ending just about everybody could see coming, The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington has requested the dismissal of a felony case against David Hearn, a three-time Olympian accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Why?

Newly obtained Interior Department records revealed that the pool's lining was poorly installed and had begun failing, undermining the evidence against Hearn.

President Donald Trump's disagreed with the decision to dismiss, after he loudly proclaimed the pool he'd spent millions of taxpayer dollars to repair had been mysteriously vandalized.

When Hearn stopped and leaned over the pool to collect a flake of the bottom paint that began flaking up nearly as soon as it was installed, he was showily arrested.

Prosecutors overrode Trump's assertions and corrected course based on the new evidence.

USA Today sent a reporter to the Reflecting Pool to get reaction to the charges being dropped and many said it, demonstrated that the justice system can still work effectively. They also said they can't wait for it be repaired again, this time for good, so it's back to the state it's supposed to be in.

Ann Marquis, a 63-year-old retiree from Maryland, is one of the people who can't wait to see it finished -- again and said she strongly disagreed with the administration's decision to arrest people.

"It was a ridiculous notion that one person could cause that kind of damage," she said.