White House asks DOJ to reconsider dropped case against former Olympian David Hearn

The White House has asked the US Department of Justice to consider bringing new charges against former Olympian David Hearn over alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, according to The Guardian.

The request comes after Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for the District of Columbia, dropped the case against Hearn on 31 July, saying prosecutors did not have enough evidence.

In a court filing, Pirro's office said evidence showed damage had occurred before Hearn visited the reflecting pool and that “it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Hearn has maintained that he only touched a piece of lining that was already detached while cycling in the area in June.

President Donald Trump publicly criticised Pirro over the decision, saying she “choked”.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that the White House had approached senior Justice Department officials about potentially reviving the case.

A DOJ spokesperson told The Guardian: “The Department of Justice follows the evidence when determining if crimes have been committed. We always evaluate any case based on the facts and the law.”

Hearn's lawyers called the reported White House intervention “another bizarre turn” and said pursuing another prosecution would “further harass an innocent man”.