Democrats are seizing on the Justice Department’s decision to drop its case against former Olympian David Hearn, arguing the move reinforces their long-standing claims that the Trump administration is politicizing federal law enforcement.
The DOJ on Friday moved to dismiss the felony destruction of property charge against Hearn, concluding that damage to the National Mall’s Reflecting Pool was the result of a “rushed and botched installation,” not vandalism as originally alleged. Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist, had pleaded not guilty after being indicted earlier this month.
Despite the department’s finding, the Trump administration has rejected the conclusion, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum continuing to insist the damage was the work of vandals. That stance has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who accuse the administration of pursuing baseless charges for political reasons.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker took to social media to call the episode “another embarrassment to Donald Trump as he weaponizes the Justice Department to go after those he perceives to be his enemies—only to have to drop the charges.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut argued that Hearn, who has maintained his innocence, should have legal recourse after being prosecuted. “Maliciously prosecuted clearly innocent people like David Hearn should have remedies against federal officials who unconscionably target them,” he wrote on X.
Representative Ted Lieu of California went further, accusing Burgum of lying about the case. “You are lying when it comes to Olympian David Hearn. The court filing from trump’s own Justice Dept proves it,” Lieu said, responding to Burgum’s comments. “The DOJ admitted the Reflecting Pool failed because of shoddy contracting work. This calls into question how much of what you said are lies.”
In a separate post, Lieu alleged that Hearn’s prosecution was politically motivated, calling it “unethical” behavior from interim Attorney General Todd Blanche and the department he leads. “The only reason @TheJusticeDept charged Olympian David Hearn was to sooth trump’s fragile ego,” he wrote. “The Justice Dept knew they were indicting an innocent person. This is unethical, radical, criminal behavior by @DAGToddBlanche and his thugs at the Department.”
Lieu ended his post with a warning that “November is coming,” signaling the party’s intent to make the case a political liability for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. Democrats see the episode as a potential wedge issue, though internal divisions over strategy could complicate their messaging, as noted in recent analysis of Democratic midterm prospects.
The case has also intensified scrutiny on Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche, whose confirmation has stalled amid GOP defections. President Trump has lashed out at critics, including conservative commentator Jeanine Pirro, who questioned the handling of the case, and has pressured senators to back Blanche, as reported in coverage of Trump’s pressure campaign. Some Republicans, like Senator John Cornyn, have blocked the nomination, which Trump has dismissed as payback for a primary loss, according to reports on the intra-party feud.
Hearn’s indictment alleged he “forcefully and violently” ripped about two square feet of the pool’s liner. He has consistently argued that he left the pool in the same condition in which he found it. The dismissal marks a significant reversal for the DOJ, which had pursued the case amid a multi-million dollar renovation project that has faced widespread criticism over its execution.
