Charges are expected to be dismissed against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn following an admission by the U.S. Attorney's office that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by a "flawed installation" by a contractor, rather than vandalism. The office filed a motion to dismiss the felony count of destruction of property on July 31.
The U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia revealed that the sealant at the bottom of the Reflecting Pool began peeling almost immediately after renovation work was completed. This work was carried out by Atlantic Industrial Coatings (AIC), a Virginia-based company that received a no-bid contract for the project. Hearn had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge stemming from an incident on June 19, 2026.
According to the court filing, the Department of Interior (DOI) "provided less than fulsome information at the outset of this case." It was only after Hearn's indictment that the DOI supplied additional documents to the U.S. Attorney's office, indicating that the damage was a result of AIC's flawed installation and the pressure to finish the project before America 250 celebrations around Independence Day 2026. The office stated that this documentation revealed the damage was not vandalism as initially represented by the DOI.