Former US Olympian pleads not guilty in DC reflecting pool vandalism case

A former three-time Olympic canoe racer has entered a not guilty plea in federal court regarding allegations of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. The 67-year-old was accused of maliciously pulling at the pool's newly installed liner on June 19, causing damage exceeding $1,000. The liner, described as "American flag blue," was installed at the request of the current US administration ahead of Independence Day celebrations.

Hearn faces charges of destruction of government property, which carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. According to his account, he stopped at the pool during a bicycle ride, touched a section of lining that was already peeling, and released it when instructed to do so by a park employee. He denies removing or intentionally damaging the material.

The case has attracted significant national attention amid broader controversy surrounding the pool's $14.7 million renovation project. The 620-metre reflecting pool reopened in June after the installation of the new liner, but within days experienced serious problems including algae blooms that turned the water chartreuse green and sections of the liner peeling away. Environmental experts have attributed these issues to the dark coating elevating water temperature and creating conditions favourable for algae growth.

Hearn's legal representatives contend the prosecution represents a political effort to shift responsibility for the renovation's failures. They argue the justice system should determine facts rather than provide political cover. The administration has blamed vandals for the pool's deterioration, claiming without evidence that corrosive chemicals were introduced and the liner was deliberately slashed, though no charges have been filed related to those alleged incidents.