Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool vandalism charge and admits 'botched' repairs

President Donald Trump had blamed "sick" vandals, and a former Olympian had been charged, but prosecutors now say contractors caused the damage.

Charges Dropped Against Ex-Olympian David Hearn Accused of Damaging Reflecting Pool

A former Olympian will not face trial after federal prosecutors acknowledged that the Trump administration’s claims of vandalism were false.

By Madaleine Rubin and David A. Fahrenthold

Justice department moves to dismiss its charges against Olympian over reflecting pool

Lawyers now say damage to pool liner attributed to David Hearn instead is result of installation by contractor The justice department has moved to dismiss a criminal case charging former Olympian David Hearn with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial‘ reflecting pool, instead blaming damage to the pool liner as “the result of flawed installation by the contractor”. Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing in DC superior court on Friday evening that they had received information ...

By Edward Helmore

Prosecutors move to dismiss Reflecting Pool vandalism case, saying 'botched installation' to blame

The government had accused David Hearn of ripping a piece of sealant after a $14 million renovation. Hearn has repeatedly said that he simply touched the water in the pool out of curiosity last month.

By NPR Staff

Trump administration to dismiss Reflecting Pool charges against David Hearn

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump appointee, acknowledges that the peeling sealant is result of 'botched installation'.

Prosecutors move to dismiss felony vandalism case against Olympian David Hearn over Reflecting Pool

Jeanine Pirro's office says the Department of the Interior withheld records about pre-existing coating problems before David Hearn's indictment.

U.S. Justice Department dismisses case against ex-Olympian accused of damaging D.C. reflecting pool

The U.S. Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Pirro moves to drop case against Olympian, says Reflecting Pool damage caused by 'flawed installation'

President Donald Trump had touted the Reflecting Pool update, one of many renovations in D.C. he ordered ahead of America's 250th birthday celebrations.

Trump officials drop Reflecting Pool charges against ex-US Olympian David Hearn

The US Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing that information provided since the indictment of David Hearn shows that the damage was the result of a “flawed installation by the contractor” as well as “the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Da...

By Associated Press

Charges dropped against ex-Olympian over Reflecting Pool damage after Trump admin admits ‘flawed installation’

Jeanine Pirro’s office blames Trump’s Department of Interior after she and the president publicly raged against David Hearn

By Alex Woodward

Justice Dept. admits Reflecting Pool renovation was ‘hasty and botched,’ drops case against former Olympian

Jeanine Pirro Drops Reflecting Pool Case against David Hearn, Cites 'Flawed Installation'

Olympian David Hearn was torched by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who charged him with vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ... but now she's eating her words and dropping the case, because the pieces that came apart were caused by…

By TMZ Staff