A former U.S. Olympian who was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and later cleared of the allegations is asking federal watchdogs to examine both the troubled renovation project and the criminal case brought against him.
David Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist, has asked the inspectors general of the Interior and Justice departments to investigate what his attorneys describe as serious failures surrounding the project and the prosecution.
The request focuses on the installation of a blue liner in the iconic Washington pool, work that began in May as part of an administration-backed effort to revamp the landmark ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations.
Hearn’s lawyers contend that mistakes made during the installation, rather than vandalism, were responsible for significant problems with the pool. They also questioned why criminal charges were pursued despite evidence pointing toward defects in the renovation.
The Justice Department charged Hearn in July with damaging part of the pool liner. Prosecutors later abandoned the case after documents from the Interior Department indicated that the damage was likely connected to an improperly installed liner.
The dismissal came only weeks after Hearn was indicted, prompting a sharp response from President Donald Trump, who had publicly blamed vandals for problems including algae growth and peeling sections of the newly installed liner.
Hearn’s attorneys now want the Justice Department’s inspector general to determine whether political pressure played a role in the decision to prosecute him. They also allege that prosecutors had information about problems with the renovation before pursuing the case.
The lawyers further raised questions about conduct surrounding a July inspection of the pool, alleging that prosecutors improperly attempted to question an expert working with Hearn’s defense.
In their request, the attorneys accused officials in both departments of incompetence and wrongdoing and called for a comprehensive review.
The Interior Department disputed Hearn’s account, saying he had acknowledged tampering with the pool. However, the court record cited by the department does not contain such an admission. Instead, it refers to a National Park Service employee’s account that Hearn pulled at part of the pool lining.
The Justice Department said its inspector general operates independently and decides which matters warrant investigation. The Justice Department inspector general’s office did not comment on whether it would open a probe.
The Reflecting Pool controversy has become part of a broader political dispute over Trump’s efforts to reshape Washington’s public spaces and his administration’s handling of people accused of opposing or disrupting those efforts.
The pool, which extends roughly 2,000 feet along the National Mall, was renovated under Trump’s direction ahead of the July 4 celebrations. But the project encountered problems almost immediately, with algae appearing and sections of the liner peeling.
After the Independence Day festivities, the pool had to be drained once again so crews could address extensive damage to the liner.
A federal judge has since prevented prosecutors from pursuing new charges against Hearn in connection with the incident, leaving the former Olympian to seek answers through the watchdog investigations.
