Canoeist charged over pool damage

Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn was charged in July with causing felony damage to President Donald Trump's renovations of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Trump blamed vandals for damage

Trump blamed the pool damage on Hearn and other vandals. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro's office later moved to dismiss the case.

Damage was contractor error

Pirro's office said the damage was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings. A judge tossed the case and barred the government from retrying Hearn.

Hearn's lawyers allege rushed prosecution

Hearn's attorneys contend he should never have been charged. They allege prosecutors rushed to bring the case despite already having evidence showing Hearn's actions caused no harm or monetary loss.

Witness testimony allegedly changed

A government witness testified that repairs were needed regardless of Hearn's actions and could not quantify any incremental cost caused by him. After a twenty-one-minute break, the witness returned with different testimony.

Witness now testified to damage

After previously being unable to testify that Hearn caused any monetary damage, the witness now testified the damage was definitely one thousand dollars or more, the threshold needed for a felony charge.

“definitely $1,000 or more”

IG refuses to investigate case

The Justice Department's inspector general Don R. Berthiaume refused to investigate what went wrong with the case, including whether prosecutors committed crimes. Hearn's legal team asked him to reconsider.

IG defers to professional responsibility

The inspector general said the matter belongs with the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility, which investigates certain categories of misconduct committed by DOJ lawyers.

Professional responsibility gutted

Hearn's lawyers noted the Office of Professional Responsibility has no criminal jurisdiction and has been gutted by the Trump administration, with personnel cut in half. New investigations are at a twenty-year low.

Trump fired inspectors general

Trump fired eighteen inspectors general upon his return to office last year, including that of the Interior Department. He said it was a very common thing to do.

“I did it because it's a very common thing to do”

Interior IG investigating separately

The Interior Department inspector general's office is investigating Hearn's allegations about their personnel. Hearn's lawyers say without the Justice Department IG's involvement, the investigation will simply not take place.