美国司法部近日撤销了对前奥运运动员大卫·赫恩的刑事指控，这一决定标志着特朗普政府对一项备受争议的基础设施项目的态度转变。[1]司法部承认该政府耗资1400万美元的林肯纪念馆反思池翻新工程存在"仓促和失误"。[1]赫恩曾因在2026年6月19日一次102公里自行车骑行中短暂接触池边剥落的衬里而遭逮捕，被控财产破坏重罪，最高可能面临10年监禁。[1]
司法部提交的最新证据表明，反思池的广泛破损源于承包商的"草率安装"而非故意破坏行为。[1]根据国家公园管理局官员的证词，池水在赫恩接触前已存在大规模预存破损，每周漏水超过100万加仑。[1]政府为了在7月4日前完工，绕过了法律要求的竞争招标程序。[1]翻新完成仅数天后，藻类使池水变成鲜绿色。[1]
The U.S. Department of Justice has acknowledged that a $14 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial was marred by "rushed work and mistakes."[1] Government lawyers have withdrawn criminal charges against David Hearn, a former Olympic athlete who was arrested and charged with property destruction after brief contact with deteriorating pool lining.[1] Evidence presented by the Justice Department indicates that widespread damage to the pool resulted from contractor "careless installation" rather than intentional vandalism.[1]
The Trump administration had bypassed standard competitive bidding requirements for the project, citing a July 4th completion deadline as justification.[1] Within days of renovation completion, algae turned the pool water bright green.[1] Hearn was arrested on June 19th after stopping briefly during a 102-kilometer bicycle ride to touch the flaking lining.[1] He faced felony property destruction charges carrying a potential 10-year sentence for damage estimated at over $1,000.[1] Court documents filed by Attorney General Jeanine Pirro stated it was difficult to attribute the extensive damage to intentional destruction.[1] Testimony from National Park Service officials revealed that the pool had already sustained massive pre-existing damage before Hearn's contact, with water loss exceeding one million gallons per week.[1]