Judge Throws Out Trump-Driven Vandalism Charges Against Former Olympian in Reflecting Pool Case
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A D.C. judge dismissed vandalism charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, exposing how President Trump’s political interference tried to override evidence and target innocent people.
A Washington D.C. Superior Court judge has dismissed with prejudice the federal vandalism charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, ensuring that prosecutors cannot refile the case. In a comprehensive 26-page opinion, Judge Todd Edelman condemned the political pressure exerted by President Trump on his subordinates, making it clear that the lawsuit should be permanently closed due to this blatant abuse of power.
Edelman pointed out that even prosecutors admitted the evidence proved Hearn’s innocence, but the president’s reckless public statements created a chilling risk of prosecution regardless of facts. The judge emphasized that both the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service concluded the damage to the Reflecting Pool’s new lining was caused by a botched installation, not by any act of vandalism.
Hearn, 67, was arrested in June after the pool’s lining began peeling, and was hit with a felony property destruction charge. He pleaded not guilty. By late July, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office, recognizing the truth in government reports, asked the court to drop the charges against Hearn and three others.
Despite the facts, President Trump publicly pressured Pirro to revisit the case, demonstrating his willingness to undermine the justice system for political gain. The judge’s ruling, however, blocks any further action. The White House, instead of taking responsibility, referred NPR to the president’s inflammatory social-media posts blaming so-called vandals and attacking Pirro’s decision.
Hearn’s attorneys, Norm Eisen and Mary Dohrmann, celebrated the ruling as “a victory for the rule of law and for an innocent American seeking justice.” Meanwhile, the Reflecting Pool remains drained and fenced off for repairs, a stark reminder of the consequences of government incompetence and political meddling, with no end to the repairs in sight.