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LetMyPeopleVote

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17. MaddowBlog-Grand jury indicts former Olympian in Trump DOJ's Reflecting Pool vandalism case
Thu Jul 2, 2026, 04:37 PM
Jul 2

Securing an indictment is one thing; securing a conviction in Washington against an Olympian who touched the Reflecting Pool is something else

It’s one thing for Jeanine Pirro to secure a dubious indictment through the grand jury process.

It’s something else for her to secure a conviction in DC against an Olympian who touched the Reflecting Pool.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-07-02T19:22:02.513Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-justice-department-indicts-former-olympian-in-odd-reflecting-pool-case

In recent weeks, as Donald Trump’s renovation project at the Reflecting Pool became an embarrassing fiasco, the president settled on a curious strategy to deflect blame. He contended “vandals” had secretly attacked the pool, and it was their intervention, rather than his incompetence, that ruined the Republican’s triumph....

Hearn recently told MS NOW’s Chris Hayes that he’d touched a piece of peeling blue paint toward the end of a bike ride.

“I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong, so I had no reason to think I was going to be arrested … and kind of before I knew it, I was being handcuffed,” Hearn said, adding that he made no effort to tear the pool’s coating.

His lawyer, Norm Eisen, soon after told The New York Times, “It is not a crime in America to touch water.”.....

Evidently, Trump’s Justice Department came to a different conclusion. On Thursday afternoon, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, whose recent prosecutorial track record has been as embarrassing as it has been political, announced that Hearn has been charged with one felony count of destruction of property in D.C. Superior Court.

According to the former Fox News host, who said at a press conference that she would not discuss any details about collected evidence, Hearn engaged in a “violent effort” and “willfully destroyed” public property with his bare hands. Pirro added that the defendant, if convicted, faces up to 10 years in prison.....

During the press conference, MS NOW’s Adam Hudacek asked the prosecutor how she squares charging an alleged pool vandal after Trump’s Justice Department pardoned Jan. 6 rioters who caused millions of dollars in damage at the U.S. Capitol. Pirro refused to answer.

Q: How can you square charging this alleged vandal when this DOJ has--


PIRRO: Already this is a problem


Q: Over 1,000 January 6 rioters who caused millions of damage--


PIRRO: Are you really talking about January 6? I'm not. Who's next. Not you! No!

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-07-02T19:05:50.968Z


Eisen, the defendant’s lawyer, added in a written statement, “Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American. This indictment reflects the administration’s effort to shift blame for their own failures. On the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, Americans should be deeply concerned by the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a concocted narrative. The justice system exists to determine facts, not to provide political cover.”

I am personally surprised that a grand jury issued this indictment. This case will never get to trial.

Recommendations

10 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I hope they don't order a firing squad. PittBlue Jul 2 #1
Operation Distraction still ongoing sakabatou Jul 2 #2
Arrested on phony charges popsdenver Jul 2 #46
Said they have their own witnesses snowybirdie Jul 2 #3
Will they testify they saw him with a knife cutting a 300' gash in the middle of the pool Martin Eden Jul 2 #15
Dragging it along his canoe...? displacedvermoter Jul 2 #42
They lied. There are no witnesses because he did nothing illegal. Wiz Imp Jul 2 #16
Hearn is facing a 10 year prison sentence because Trump needs a scapegoat for his blithering incompetence. LudwigPastorius Jul 2 #4
DOJ will lose this case. Wiz Imp Jul 2 #14
Not at all relevant Cirsium Jul 2 #32
DOJ will lose their lawsuit against him, hell they never even found a knife on him. KS Toronado Jul 2 #44
As I said... Cirsium Jul 2 #49
If facing 10 years, he gets a jury trial if he wants it. We know judge Jeanine's win-loss record on jury trials. 3Hotdogs Jul 3 #56
This is going to be almost as funny a trial as the sandwich thrower one jgmiller Jul 2 #5
I don't think it's funny LisaL Jul 2 #7
Nothing funny about a 10-year sentence... regnaD kciN Jul 2 #9
They haven't succeeded in several other cases. onenote Jul 2 #11
Pirro couldn't kick a duck in the ass. . . DinahMoeHum Jul 2 #43
You don't think that the DOJ will comb through every last word that he posted on social media over the past decade? LudwigPastorius Jul 3 #53
Do you think they didn't do that in the other cases they lost? onenote Jul 3 #61
Can they televise the jury trial? BarbD Jul 2 #6
He definitely should demand the jury trial. LisaL Jul 2 #8
It's a federal case, so no. LeftInTX Jul 2 #12
What evidence could they have shown a grand jury? Accurate evidence or misleading evidence? nt wiggs Jul 2 #10
Body cam video.... SergeStorms Jul 2 #20
As I recall he was LisaL Jul 2 #28
Probably not. SergeStorms Jul 2 #34
Isn't the pool under 24/7 video surveillance ? Jarqui Jul 2 #50
Sounds like they were more upset over Hearns attitude than anything. LeftInTX Jul 2 #13
I agree... I think the case will be thrown out in the end...just like with the other cases slightlv Jul 2 #18
Hearn can decide if he wants a jury or bench trial. LeftInTX Jul 2 #19
I think he definitely should demand a jury trial. LisaL Jul 2 #26
MaddowBlog-Grand jury indicts former Olympian in Trump DOJ's Reflecting Pool vandalism case LetMyPeopleVote Jul 2 #17
Bullshit. It won't hold up in court. Incredibly stupid of the Trump regime. They are desperate to find a scapegoat for Martin68 Jul 2 #21
I want to read the indictment! LeftInTX Jul 2 #22
To be another failed prosecution BeneteauBum Jul 2 #23
He was just helping to remove the paint. It all needs removed so he was helping. twodogsbarking Jul 2 #24
He says he didn't remove anything and I believe him. LisaL Jul 2 #25
Me too but it does all need removed. twodogsbarking Jul 2 #37
Well, if he gets thirty-three more felonies, he can run for president Grim Chieftain Jul 2 #27
Jury nullification is written all over this case. oasis Jul 2 #29
I don't see why jury nullification should be needed in this case. LisaL Jul 2 #30
Jurors will have already made up their minds oasis Jul 2 #35
The magnitude of... GiqueCee Jul 2 #31
Waitaminnit - If the pool coating is so flimsy that he can destroy it "with his bare hands" then it's a complete failure NBachers Jul 2 #33
Tell the guy to start a Go Fund Me for legal expenses...... Bengus81 Jul 2 #36
He already has a star lawyer who immediately took up his case. drray23 Jul 2 #39
There is a gofundme for him. LisaL Jul 3 #58
Thanks! I would have put the bar higher and given the rest to a charity Bengus81 Jul 4 #62
Trump (Dumb) and Pirro (Dumber) democratsruletheday Jul 2 #38
Pathetic smoke and mirrors. They should be charging themselves for gross incompetence, and then driving a motorcade Karasu Jul 2 #40
If Judge Winebox is in charge he's got it licked Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jul 2 #41
Good Grief!!! Rhiannon12866 Jul 2 #45
More prosecutors selling their souls to keep their jobs. Wonder Why Jul 2 #47
They all are in the Trump regime...look no further that KashYAP Bengus81 Jul 3 #57
He was removing trash from the pool. BidenRocks Jul 2 #48
Yes, that is not vandalism purr-rat beauty Jul 2 #52
I'm surprised that he wasn't charged with a misdemeanor to avoid a jury. TomSlick Jul 2 #51
He could request a jury trial for a misdemeanor LeftInTX Jul 3 #54
What a grotesque miscarriage of justice... Hugin Jul 3 #55
This seems like a minor matter, but this could bring him down. mwb970 Jul 3 #59
I trust the justice system in this case. JohnnyRingo Jul 3 #60
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