The administration dropped a felony charge against David Hearn after admitting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool damage was caused by a contractor's error.
The administration dropped a felony charge against David Hearn after admitting that the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by a flawed installation by a contractor rather than vandalism. The U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro had initially accused Hearn of forcefully pulling up the bottom liner during a bike ride on June 19. However, the government admitted that the damage was not a result of vandalism as initially represented by the Department of the Interior. Defense attorney Steve Levin stated that the government's case against Hearn should never have been brought, calling the arrest an abuse of government power. The $16 million paint job on the pool has faced several issues, including peeling paint and an algae bloom. President Trump had previously pledged to beautify the pool before the nation's 250th birthday, but the new coating has faced various problems since the rehabilitation. The administration's admission of the error acknowledges that the administration was initially incorrect in blaming the damage on 'sick people' who were accused of vandals.