White House pushes DoJ to revive reflecting pool case against Olympian

The White House has reportedly asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to explore filing new charges against David Hearn, a former Olympian previously accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. This move comes after charges against Hearn were dismissed on July 31 by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, who cited insufficient evidence and blamed a contractor for flawed installation.

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it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt.

In her filing, Pirro's office stated that evidence suggested the damage to the pool predated Hearn's visit. The office found it "difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt." Hearn has consistently maintained that he only reached into the water to touch a detached piece of lining during a bike ride in June.

Former President Donald Trump had publicly criticized Pirro's decision to drop the case, calling it a failure. The White House's subsequent request to officials at Main Justice, the department's headquarters, to revive the case is considered highly unusual. Traditionally, the Justice Department operates independently of the White House to ensure impartiality and avoid the appearance of political influence.

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If true, it would mark a shocking first: a case that the DoJ lost by its own admission because it lacked the evidence to convict returning from the dead. This would add another bizarre turn to a sad chapter in the DOJ’s history and further harass an innocent man.

Lawyers for David Hearn described the White House's alleged request as "another bizarre turn" and a potential harassment of an innocent man. "If true, it would mark a shocking first: a case that the DoJ lost by its own admission because it lacked the evidence to convict returning from the dead," the lawyers stated. The Justice Department, when asked about new charges, responded that it "follows the evidence when determining if crimes have been committed" and evaluates cases based on "the facts and the law."

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The Department of Justice follows the evidence when determining if crimes have been committed. We always evaluate any case based on the facts and the law.