The fact that someone is even booked on trumped up (very bad pun) charges is a problem. Now the guy has to get a lawyer and fight the charges. And that’s their game. Hurt people in any way they can.

3 hours ago, Front Row said:

The fact that someone is even booked on trumped up (very bad pun) charges is a problem. Now the guy has to get a lawyer and fight the charges. And that’s their game. Hurt people in any way they can.

Yes, what is the phrase - "the process is the punishment"?

A concept which makes an absolute mockery of Justice!

A former federal prosecutor has cast doubt on the strength of the government's case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, arguing that the central evidence may struggle to support a felony conviction.

The criticism came hours after Hearn pleaded not guilty in Washington, D.C., to a charge of felony property destruction over alleged damage to the Reflecting Pool.

Gene Rossi

Defence handed early boost

Speaking on LiveNOW from Fox, former Justice Department prosecutor Gene Rossi questioned whether prosecutors could prove beyond reasonable doubt that Hearn caused more than $1,000 worth of damage.

Rossi said the case would face a "tough hurdle" if the government's evidence amounted only to allegations that Hearn reached into the water and handled a detached piece of blue paint from the bottom of the pool.

'Worthless' evidence questioned

Prosecutors allege Hearn caused damage exceeding the felony threshold, exposing him to a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years if convicted.

Rossi dismissed the significance of the paint, arguing that a detached fragment would have no value. Laughing during the interview, he said he would rather represent the defence than the prosecution unless investigators possessed stronger evidence, such as eyewitness testimony, surveillance footage or compelling forensic material.

Political backdrop raises stakes

The case has attracted wider attention after US Attorney Jeanine Pirro described Hearn's alleged actions as deliberate, claiming the government held "tremendous evidence" against him.

President Donald Trump has also commented publicly, alleging that the Reflecting Pool suffered a large gash caused by a sharp blade and accusing vandals of damaging the recently renovated site.

Court battle now shifts to evidence

Rossi argued that photographs of the pool shortly after its renovation, including images showing algae growth, could influence how jurors assess the wider circumstances surrounding the damage.

Whether prosecutors can connect Hearn directly to the alleged destruction remains likely to become the central issue when the case returns to court. Hearn is scheduled to appear again on 5 August, when both sides are expected to begin testing the evidence that will determine whether the felony charge can withstand scrutiny.

Fox lawyer bellylaughs as Pirro's Reflecting Pool case hinges on 'worthless' paint chips

56 minutes ago, bannork said:

A former federal prosecutor has cast doubt on the strength of the government's case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, arguing that the central evidence may struggle to support a felony conviction.

The criticism came hours after Hearn pleaded not guilty in Washington, D.C., to a charge of felony property destruction over alleged damage to the Reflecting Pool.

Gene Rossi

Defence handed early boost

Speaking on LiveNOW from Fox, former Justice Department prosecutor Gene Rossi questioned whether prosecutors could prove beyond reasonable doubt that Hearn caused more than $1,000 worth of damage.

Rossi said the case would face a "tough hurdle" if the government's evidence amounted only to allegations that Hearn reached into the water and handled a detached piece of blue paint from the bottom of the pool.

'Worthless' evidence questioned

Prosecutors allege Hearn caused damage exceeding the felony threshold, exposing him to a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years if convicted.

Rossi dismissed the significance of the paint, arguing that a detached fragment would have no value. Laughing during the interview, he said he would rather represent the defence than the prosecution unless investigators possessed stronger evidence, such as eyewitness testimony, surveillance footage or compelling forensic material.

Political backdrop raises stakes

The case has attracted wider attention after US Attorney Jeanine Pirro described Hearn's alleged actions as deliberate, claiming the government held "tremendous evidence" against him.

President Donald Trump has also commented publicly, alleging that the Reflecting Pool suffered a large gash caused by a sharp blade and accusing vandals of damaging the recently renovated site.

Court battle now shifts to evidence

Rossi argued that photographs of the pool shortly after its renovation, including images showing algae growth, could influence how jurors assess the wider circumstances surrounding the damage.

Whether prosecutors can connect Hearn directly to the alleged destruction remains likely to become the central issue when the case returns to court. Hearn is scheduled to appear again on 5 August, when both sides are expected to begin testing the evidence that will determine whether the felony charge can withstand scrutiny.

Fox lawyer bellylaughs as Pirro's Reflecting Pool case hinges on 'worthless' paint chips

That's the same trick as with Trump's bogus fraudulent 2020 election claim. 😂

They try to substantiate Trump's claim that vandalism caused the peeling by prosecuting anyone who touched a piece of the already peeling pool's bottom.

Edited July 11Jul 11 by candide

Trump's Reflecting Pool claims hit by fresh scrutiny

Questions are mounting over President Donald Trump's claims that vandals slashed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after newly released photographs appeared to show what critics say are tire tracks left by his own presidential motorcade.

The controversy escalated after the pool was drained on Monday. Trump insisted workers would uncover a 300-yard gash in the waterproof lining, but journalists and photographers at the scene reported they could not see the damage he described.

Photos Shift the Political Spotlight

Washington photographer Joe Flood shared images of the drained pool showing two long parallel marks across the blue-coated surface. He questioned whether any large-scale cut existed, saying he could not identify the alleged damage.

The photographs quickly spread across social media, with critics arguing the marks resembled tire tracks left when Trump's motorcade crossed the freshly sealed pool floor during a visit in May.

Motorcade Decision Comes Under Fire

Political commentators seized on the images, linking the visible marks to the presidential convoy rather than vandalism. Attorney Seth Abramson claimed the evidence pointed towards damage caused by the motorcade, while others questioned why heavy vehicles were allowed onto the unfinished surface.

The White House has not publicly explained why the convoy drove across the newly coated basin. Just days before that visit, Trump had praised the lining as exceptionally durable, claiming it could not be cut with a knife.

White House Doubles Down

Despite the growing criticism, Trump has refused to back away from his account. In posts on Truth Social, he maintained that vandals had slashed the waterproof liner and accused media organisations of falsely reporting that the drainage was linked to peeling coating or algae.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers also dismissed suggestions that the damage was caused by the presidential visit, calling the claims "dumb and unfounded".

Legal Case Adds New Pressure

The dispute has intensified scrutiny of the administration's response after six people were arrested over the alleged vandalism. Among them is three-time Olympian David Hearn, who says he merely touched a loose flap of the lining while cycling past the site and has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge.

With competing claims over what the drained pool actually revealed, the controversy has become another politically charged battle over evidence, accountability and the credibility of the President's public assertions.

Trump's Reflecting Pool fiasco takes a turn as onlookers zero in on motorcade tire tracks

On 7/4/2026 at 10:55 PM, Front Row said:

The fact that someone is even booked on trumped up (very bad pun) charges is a problem. Now the guy has to get a lawyer and fight the charges. And that’s their game. Hurt people in any way they can

like they did to trump supporters

On 7/5/2026 at 9:55 AM, Front Row said:

The fact that someone is even booked on trumped up (very bad pun) charges is a problem. Now the guy has to get a lawyer and fight the charges. And that’s their game. Hurt people in any way they can.

From Gemini:

Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was charged with a felony for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, is represented by a high-profile pro bono legal team led by prominent attorney Norm Eisen.

5 hours ago, Yagoda said:

like they did to trump supporters

You mean like these fine outstanding gentlemen?

Get lost.

Edited July 15Jul 15 by Front Row
(image didn’t load)

4 hours ago, JerryM said:

From Gemini:

Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was charged with a felony for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, is represented by a high-profile pro bono legal team led by prominent attorney Norm Eisen.

Assume one can get pro bono representation, one still has to take time from work or other commitments and invest time and energy into preparing a case. And this is a stupid, petty charge that should never have been brought.

2 minutes ago, Front Row said:

Assume one can get pro bono representation, one still has to take time from work or other commitments and invest time and energy into preparing a case. And this is a stupid, petty charge that should never have been brought.

True. Next is to try to get the indictment dismissed

The next hearing was scheduled for late August, if I’m not mistaken. So the stress of this hanging over his head for that long is rather unfair. What a crazy world we live in.

7 minutes ago, Front Row said:

The next hearing was scheduled for late August, if I’m not mistaken. So the stress of this hanging over his head for that long is rather unfair. What a crazy world we live in.

Hearn is expected to be back in court on Aug. 5 for a status hearing.

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5960628-reflecting-pool-david-hearn-vandalism-charge/

The charge:

DC Code § 22–303. Malicious burning, destruction, or injury of another’s property.

Whoever maliciously injures or breaks or destroys, or attempts to injure or break or destroy, by fire or otherwise, any public or private property, whether real or personal, not his or her own, of the value of $1,000 or more, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or shall be imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both, and if the property has some value shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or both.

4 hours ago, JerryM said:

From Gemini:

Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was charged with a felony for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, is represented by a high-profile pro bono legal team led by prominent attorney Norm Eisen.

HistoricalSites & Buildings

Likely to win and he can sue the government under the Federal Tort Claims Act for malicious prosecution.

1 hour ago, Front Row said:

You mean like these fine outstanding gentlemen?

Get lost.

The truth hurts lol

Officials previously dismissed speculation that presidential vehicles traveling across the drained pool during a May inspection contributed to damage at the site.

During that visit, Trump’s motorcade crossed the empty basin while the president toured the renovation work.

NO DAMAGES

NO DAMAGES

NO DAMAGES

You're the real damages. PS gimme your Olympic medal kid. 😂

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Officials previously dismissed speculation that presidential vehicles traveling across the drained pool during a May inspection contributed to damage at the site.

During that visit, Trump’s motorcade crossed the empty basin while the president toured the renovation work.

NO DAMAGES

NO DAMAGES

NO DAMAGES

You're the real damages. PS gimme your Olympic medal kid. 😂

And MAGAs even bragged about it! 🤣

Posts with derogatory nicknames, intentional misspellings, or personal remarks will be removed. Spell names correctly for all sides of the debate.

On 7/3/2026 at 12:13 AM, Nemises said:

That sealant didn’t stand a chance against Olympic-level curiosity.

The biggest problem in Washington by far !

It's vandals, suuuure! 😅

8 hours ago, candide said:

And MAGAs even bragged about it! 🤣

They should have start filling the pool from the moment the presidential vehicles entered.

Witness says Lincoln Memorial pool was damaged before alleged vandalism

May 2026: The new lining material will last 50 years, it's powerful rubber so strong if you had a knife you couldn't even cut it.

June 2026: The peeling paint and damage were actually caused by vandals. Someone used a knife or box cutter to slice a 350-foot gash into the pool liner!

What changed?

Besides finding a scapegoat that's Reality TV show ready. 😄

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Witness says Lincoln Memorial pool was damaged before alleged vandalism

May 2026: The new lining material will last 50 years, it's powerful rubber so strong if you had a knife you couldn't even cut it.

June 2026: The peeling paint and damage were actually caused by vandals. Someone used a knife or box cutter to slice a 350-foot gash into the pool liner!

What changed?

Besides finding a scapegoat that's Reality TV show ready. 😄

And not any witness, the government's only witness! 😂

“The Government’s only witness on that element testified that the property was already deteriorated, that the identified repairs would have been needed even without Mr. Hearn’s alleged conduct, and that he could not quantify any loss caused by that conduct,” they wrote. “Consequently, the grand jury’s indictment of Mr. Hearn is hard to explain. Mr. Hearn needs to learn whether the grand jury was properly instructed that the charge required him to have caused over $1,000 in damages, when the testimony failed to establish that he caused any damage at all. So does this Court.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/reflecting-pool-case-witness-conceded-damage-olympic-canoeist-davey-he-rcna589510

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28517032-hearn-filing/

Edited Wednesday at 07:54 AM2 days by candide

Justice Department drops criminal case against Olympian over damaged Reflecting Pool

the damage was the result of a "flawed installation by the contractor”

But but but this violates the fundamental principle of Republicans..!?!?

“Trump over Truth”

2019: I know a lot about swimming pools… I’ve built many, many pools.

May 2026: We’re going to build it so strong, so beautiful… you won’t even be able to cut it with a knife.

May 2026: I have a guy who’s unbelievable at doing swimming pools… I’m going to send my contractor over.

FACT CHECK: TRUE ✅

It is unbelievable. 😄

“My Contractor” is...

A guy who looks like his office is a card table in an abandoned warehouse down by the loading docks in New Jersey?

(actual picture)

Who has a company named Green Water Solutions

Who plead GUILTY to conspiring to bribe a U.S. congressman (early 2000s)

Campaign finance violations (2010)

Could actually install or repair a pool properly!

💯 Correct, Sir. 😄

normal maga cult

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/31/us/video/doj-reflecting-pool-david-hearn-digvid

Or as noted by the lawyers: Ready - FIRE - AIM.