Justice Dept. admits Reflecting Pool renovation was ‘hasty and botched,’ drops case against former Olympian
By Katelyn Polantz, CNN
(CNN) — The Justice Department is admitting that President Donald Trump’s $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was “hasty and botched,” and it is dropping the criminal case against former Olympian David Hearn that accused him of damaging the pool.
DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office wrote in a new court filing Friday, “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.”
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.”
When CNN called the contracting company Friday evening, an employee with Atlantic Industrial Coatings said they hadn’t heard anything about the new filing, adding, “No comment.”
CNN has reached out to the White House and the Interior Department for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
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