July 2, 2026
Former Olympian Facing 10 Years In Prison For Alleged Reflecting Pool Vandalism
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RSS Feed 67-year-old David Hearn, who represented the United States in three Olympics as a canoeist, is now fighting for his freedom. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced the felony charge against Hearn after she says he “violently” and “maliciously” destroyed 2 square feet of reflecting pool liner. Hearn has admitted to touching the liner out of curiosity, but denies removing or damaging it. His attorneys say this is a misuse of government power to shift blame for their own failures refurbishing the pool.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey, that folks at a Thursday, July second, and a former olympian has been hit with a felony charge and is facing up to a decade in prison. What did he do? He put his hand in Trump's pool and with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. This has gotten not a hand, wrote The citation is one. This has gotten not a hand.
00:00:22
Speaker 2: It started out as a misdemeanor and now it's a felony. And yes, Janine Piro, the US attorney for DC, held a big press conference today and the headlines are everywhere. A former three time US Olympian, Yes, is being charged with the felony, as you mentioned, facing up to ten years in prison. And they claim that hern forcefully and violently pulled up and removed the bottom liner of Trump's reflecting pool with his bare hand.
00:00:54
Speaker 1: Go to prison ten years, Go to prison for ten years. This is this is too much, This is too far. We ropes, even if he did exactly what they say he did, roes, are they really they're trying to make this guy the poster show off of all the problems that have been wrong at the reflecting pool. See, we had to charge a guy with a felony that obviously we know what all this is. But I'm saying this has gone too far. This is gone, This is scary.
00:01:18
Speaker 2: This is scary. Scapegoating is what it is now. Of course sixty seven year old David Hearn, And I say of course because he has been speaking out. This happened on June nineteenth. He has been shouting from the rooftops. I didn't do anything. What are you talking about? But Janine Pirot, flanked with attorneys by her side in this presser, said that there are witnesses who describe David Hearn doing this. She claims he damaged at least two square feet of the sealant from the bottom of the reflecting pool surfee two square feet. She said that costs more than one thousand dollars in damages. And yes, a grand jury has handed down these indictments. Obviously, if you I'm sure you all have a pretty good idea of how grand jury's operate. But basically there is no defense presented. It's just the prosecution. They provided witnesses and damage assessments.
00:02:09
Speaker 1: You can indict a ham sandwich, absolutely.
00:02:11
Speaker 2: So it's not I wanted to just make sure he has that Just because a grand jury handed down the indictments doesn't mean that, oh wow, there must be compelling evidence against him. There is no defense presented whatsoever in a grand jury proceeding.
00:02:26
Speaker 1: And again, David Hearn, again, his name was in the headlines for several weeks. Was twoks ago ropes was the United States? When he had his put his hand in the water. Now, the pictures were crazy because we see the sixty seven year old guy who is fully in biking gear. He looks like he just got off the tow of fronts. He said he was on a long bike ride, so he stopped to do some vandalism when he got done. Is the story. Didn't they put him in handcuffs?
00:02:50
Speaker 2: They didn't. They put him in handcuffs right there. He was interrogated for hours and initially charged with the misdemeanor. But yes, today we are learning that that is now a felony charge. Now, according to Janine Piro, Hearn didn't use a weapon. Yes, he just used his hands to damage the pool. How do you do that? I mean, I'm just curious, like if a pool just say that's true, if the reflecting pool was perfectly fine, how could someone use their bare hands and damage a pool.
00:03:24
Speaker 1: She's not suggesting it was perfectly fine, and it wasn't. There was nothing wrong with it until his hand went into the water. No, this stuff was peeling up, and he put witch reached down like a lot of people did. And yes, some people actually took pieces for souvenirs. Okay, you shouldn't do that. Fine, you shouldn't get ten years in prison for it either. But Rose, there's no suggestion that this guy had had a tool or a knife, or just some cutting or just three hundred and fifty foot slash that the president was talking about, or the algae or the fertilizer. He put his hand in the water.
00:03:53
Speaker 2: He was curious. Now, he even admitted he was curious at the time.
00:03:57
Speaker 1: He is the chief vandal now, so every problem that's happened with that pool, they will be able to say, it ain't my fault, it ain't the White House fault. Look at what these left wing nuts are doing. Example a mister David Hurt.
00:04:14
Speaker 2: He is the exhibit A. And I thought this was interesting beyond just going over the indictment, going over the felony charge. Jeanine Piro thought it was really important to let everyone know that David Hearn also shouted at the park service employee you tried to stop him and was quote unquote rude.
00:04:33
Speaker 1: Lack him up, dude.
00:04:33
Speaker 2: So I wanted to let everyone else know that he not only was a vandal and a now potential felon, but he's also a rude, vandalizing felon.
00:04:44
Speaker 1: This is unforgivable. I hope the judge throws a book at him. You can't be rude. In addition, obviously I'm being sarcastic here, but Robes, didn't this feel to you. We've seen a lot of press conferences from federal officials and even from Jeanine Pierro. They held a press conference Robes like they just announced terrorism arrest.
00:04:58
Speaker 2: It was a lot of pomp and circumstance over something that actually seems.
00:05:05
Speaker 1: He put his hand in the water. He put his hand in the water, and he's he put his even the hell he has to go through, Robes.
00:05:14
Speaker 2: The legal fees, the headache. This is a retire he just retired. He had a business where he actually was explaining early on about why he actually was fascinated by what was happening with the liner because he had a canoe. He was a by the way, he was a three time Olympic canoeist for Team USA and up until his recent retirement he's sixty seven. He had a business where he made canoes and so waterproofing, canoes, waterproofing. This was part of what he did for a living, sealans, all of that. So he was just fascinated and interesting in what was going on. What kind of sealant did they use. It actually makes a lot of sense given the business he had been in.
00:05:56
Speaker 1: I have to say that that sounded a little like something I would tell my mom as an excuse, like that was awfully convenient. It could be one hundred percent true, but the chances of all that no, I just wanted to check it out because I have a business and I want to check That sounds a little now. If it's true, then obviously he has a reason for checking the thing out because it did start peeling, it did start screwing up, and this was the biggest pool job we have seen in this country ever. We've all watched this pool job. I've seen the poolboy out there working on the reflecting pool.
00:06:23
Speaker 2: Though. He was curious, but he says, and this is a direct quote from you, I did not remove yep. I did not damage. I did not rip, tear, break, destroy, or harm any part of the reflecting pool.
00:06:38
Speaker 1: It's pretty straightforward.
00:06:39
Speaker 2: By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs. So yes, he said he was a curious concern citizen that he was able to reach out and touch the edge that was still attached to the bottom, and he said he handled it a little bit. That's how he described it. I handled it a little bit. But he said he didn't remove it, he didn't damage it, he didn't break, peel, nothing, So just touching a liner that was floating, that was still attached and he just touched it. That was enough for him. That's what he says to get potentially up to ten years behind Piros.
00:07:15
Speaker 1: But Pierrot's story is that he two by two You said, foot section.
00:07:21
Speaker 2: Let me get this, Yeah, the square feet of sealant from the bottom.
00:07:25
Speaker 1: Is he ripped like violently? Right? Did she used the word violent?
00:07:28
Speaker 2: Yes, forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both of his hands. Hey man, that's how she describes it.
00:07:36
Speaker 1: Shouldn't there be video evidence of this? They know exactly when they.
00:07:40
Speaker 2: Have the witness, the Park Services video.
00:07:43
Speaker 1: The video there there's a camera on that's that pool, the National Mall all day long. You know exactly when he was arrested. There should be evidence of this.
00:07:52
Speaker 2: I agree, and maybe we in so many cases, always want to see the video because that is the irrefutable proof. Now, there was some dueling, very grand standing statements that I just want to read because it's Look, it's not funny because David Hearn is actually in serious trouble and this is deeply concerning. But my goodness, the guy was okay touching the liner, say he even pulled on it. This is what Janine Piro had to say about it. We will not allow our sacred monuments to be roped off or diminished in any way impacted by disgruntled individuals who think that they and not the rest of the nation, have the right to decide what should happen. These landmarks and monuments belong to all of us, and they must be protected for generations to come.
00:08:41
Speaker 1: I'm sorry, this is exhausting. It's exhausting if you feel that way, if you agree with her, if you agree with the president, you agree with this guy being arrested that. I mean, that's just okay, And I don't know what conversation to have with you about it, but it's just I don't know, ro It's terrifying that a man put his hand in the water. And I'm saying, if it happened exactly like they said it happened, Roes, what example, what are you trying to do? This is not stuff that happens in this country. Watch it from afar right, people being snatched off the street, arrested for minor things, thrown in jail for speaking out against the whatever people who are in power at the time. Ropes. We see this and I don't know why we're putting in a different category because it's happening in the United States. This is the thing we look at in other places and say, this is not who we want to be. This is ropes. I just it's so it's seemingly obvious what's happening here, and there's no I don't know how to make an argument if I'm sitting talking to somebody just in a bar, make an argument for why this guy should be indicted, but then to hear the federal government make the argument for why he should be indicted as if this is for real, Like, I can't believe you're saying this with a straight face.
00:09:57
Speaker 2: Okay, and you just queued up perfectly what Hearn's attorneys have said. He's known by Davy, He's a beloved Olympian. This is what they said. And I think this is speaking directly to what you were just saying. Davy Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every single 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.
00:10:41
Speaker 1: No, he's an ordinary, serious citizen who also represented this country in three Olympic Games. You throw that in there as well, rogues, But just he's right on everything. Shifting blame for your own failures. Look, it didn't work. We're gonna come back. We're gonna get it right. This sucks. Didn't work for the pool the first time, right, And we could turn this into all right, we're gonna keep trying to keep at it and keep at it. But instead it's turned into once again a huge political fight over algae. It's one hundred years they've been trying to fix it. It's okay that you didn't get it right the first time, mister President, keep at I'd love for that thing to be crystal blue.
00:11:19
Speaker 2: Oh no, but it was vandals. And you mentioned earlier about that three hundred, three hundred and fifty foot gash that the President talked about in front of reporters in the Oval office last week, saying it was cut a huge line. When we come back. Janine Pira was directly asked about that claim and asked to prove that claim. We'll tell you what she had to say when we come back. Welcome back everyone. Yes, we are talking about a three time former Olympian US canoeist, sixty seven year old Davy her now facing a felony charge and up to ten years in prison because, yes, he admits he put his hand to the reflecting pools. He touched some of the liner, but according to the Trump administration, he violently pulled it damaged two square feet, causing one thousand dollars worth of damage. And so yes, they are throwing the book at.
00:12:20
Speaker 1: Two square feet? What is this saying? It's it's longer than the Empire State Building is tall? Correct? Two square feet?
00:12:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's their big problem. But let's talk about the bigger problem that the President highlighted saying that someone used a sharp object three hundred cash, which created all of these floating pieces that people wanted to touch. So look, Janine Piro said, someone intentionally did a tremendous amount of damage to the pool. You can actually see where all the cutting is. So she brought it up during this press conference. So obviously a reporter no, but she's saying that's where it all started. And a report said, hey, you know what the president, the President said something about that as well last week. Could you share a picture of the damage and the cuts, remember they were asking President Trump to do that as well.
00:13:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, he said it'll come out in court.
00:13:12
Speaker 2: Okay. So Jeanine Piro said something very similar. She said, when I file a charge, I'll be happy to show you a picture. All right. What I'm trying to do, we're trying to find out who did it, okay, And until we get to that point, I'm not going to be able to, you know, discuss anything more than there was a tremendous damage that was caused. What why can't you show us a picture of the gash?
00:13:38
Speaker 1: Nobody can find it, should be able to see it.
00:13:40
Speaker 2: Did we Yes, you don't think that we haven't and reporters haven't looked for this gush. And they said that to President Trump. We've honestly, President Trump been looking for this gash that you describe. We can't see it. Can you say, can you give us a picture? Let me just ask you. We deal with a lot of criminal cases. We have seen plenty over the years, and sure we understand and the police oftentimes keep evidence close to the best because they don't want to do anything to cause any problems for them in court later if they actually see this. How does showing a picture of the damage do anything to your case against a now seemingly elusive criminal.
00:14:21
Speaker 1: Doesn't, baby, doesn't do anything to your case. But they've had no problem in the past immediately putting out video or images they think support whatever argument they are making in public. Didn't They put out some videos pretty quickly out of Minneapolis, even when things are going on in the street. They put this out and say, hey, look what this person was doing. They were quick to jump to conclusions to show and prove their case. This is not a big deal. The president says, there's a three hundred and fifty foot gash. If he could show that, he would go, look look at what they did to my pool.
00:14:54
Speaker 2: All over his truth social work. It would be highlighted, it would be circle. They would make sure everybody saw it. So and Timmy Piro was snippy. She didn't like that question. She didn't like being asked to produce a photo. So, yes, you'll just have to wait. And it was very much in the same tone as President Trump saying I can't. I'd like to, but you know, you'll have to wait for court.
00:15:21
Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, doubt if we ever see that picture, because it just the gash does not exist. Not plenty of reporters, plited news organizations, they're there every day. They've been looking for it. They might they might have scuba divers in the damn water looking for this gash. At this point, nobody you three hundred and fifty feet you see.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: It, you'd see it.
00:15:40
Speaker 1: It's just it's not there. Vandals didn't tear it up. It didn't work. Okay, we blew sixteen million dollars on a project. It's all right, mister president, it didn't work, you know what.
00:15:51
Speaker 2: And and that would be so much more welcome to hear that and then to say look, and if he even wanted to point out how much more money other presidents have spent trying to fix the reflecting pool, he's still significantly under budget, so he could have still saved face. And we tried something, obviously it's been tried before. We've got a new plan. We're gonna instead of pointing the finger and blaming everyone else. And by the way, on that point, Juanine Piro also said in this press conference today that a half dozen other cases are in the works right now against people who were also accused of vandalizing the pool. She said, so at least six other people are now facing charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. So it isn't just Davy hearn but obviously heard. But this is obviously a big story because we have the pictures, we know the guy, he represented our country, he was celebrated. He's an older gentleman who is on a fifty mile bike ride. Does anyone. Actually, I really like common sense here. What would possess a sixty seven year old former olympian who had just finished a fifty mile bike ride to go to the reflecting pool and decide to vandalize it?
00:17:02
Speaker 1: Robes? It's why because Robes. It's something that is affecting a lot of Americans these days. It's been going around for a while.
00:17:10
Speaker 2: Trump derangement syndrome.
00:17:12
Speaker 1: Yeah, it has devastating effects on people.
00:17:14
Speaker 2: You're going with TDS, which is the explanation for just about everything.
00:17:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's a real it's a real thing. It's a real thing. I'm starting to be a believer. It's a real thing. No, I'm saying ropes, not quite. It doesn't make sense.
00:17:27
Speaker 3: And I'm okay with a right if somebody wanted, if somebody went and spray graffiti on the MLK Memorial in DC, I would say, yeah.
00:17:38
Speaker 1: Charge that person. Find that person. You know what? Also, I would probably wouldn't say it's throw them in jail for ten years. I probably wouldn't say that. But Robes, we're talking about. This is a joke about damage she's done. It is a joke, but it is terrifying. I just beg y'all, remember the things we studied and talk about in other countries about people being unfairly brought to task by what whoever is in power that you aren't in line with or you disagree with roll He is being taken to federal court for touching the.
00:18:15
Speaker 2: Water and facing up to ten years behind bars. And this is a man who has just retired. I mean this, I just and I do think it was interesting, and I do think it's important and relevant to reiterate what his attorney said that yes, on the eve of our nation's independence day, this is where we are. What did you do this country?
00:18:38
Speaker 1: Pull up two feet? Right?
00:18:40
Speaker 2: Even if he did say he did, and okay, say he pulled up two square feet or damaged two square feet of the reflecting pool, Fine, give him a fine, give him some sort of a punishment. You're really going to charge him with a felony and have him spend the rest of his healthy years behind bars.
00:19:02
Speaker 1: And do this everybody, as as you're listening to it's, just close your eyes for a seconds and just imagine what I'm about to say to you. Just picture it. The January sixth insurrection. Every single one of those vandals who vandalized and destroyed parts of the Capitol was pardoned.
00:19:23
Speaker 2: And President Trump also wanted reparations for them.
00:19:27
Speaker 1: So what damage to government property are you willing to tolerate? Wow, robes, there's nothing to talk about here with this guy. There's not the robes. They climbed, they destroyed the capital. We saw them all on video. But they should be given a blanket pardon. That's okay for what you did. Roll if he put his hand in the water. He did not do any damage that was worse than a single January sixth insurrection.
00:19:53
Speaker 2: Way, that was such a good you know what, And I'm surprised his attorneys didn't bring that up. That is actually really inc to actually imagine putting those two images do it together, and then seeing the absolute diametrically opposed responses by the Trump administration to each of those actions.
00:20:13
Speaker 1: Can't vandalize our monuments. They have to be there for generations to come. We have to protect them at all costs. That's why we've indicted this guy. January sixth. Robes, they were climbing, tearing, destroying, glasses were broken. You remember those guys on the floor the Senate floor in Nancy Pelosi's office. Reckon shit.
00:20:35
Speaker 2: Okay, they're patriots, TJ. They're patriots.
00:20:41
Speaker 1: Oh, he put his hand in the wrner and touched the lining.
00:20:45
Speaker 2: That's where we are right now. Obviously this story is far, far, far from over, but we absolutely needed to hop on and let you all know what David Hearn is now facing. And you know, we can say this is a joke, but it's going to be an expensive and long and lengthy process for him, and we will continue to follow all the developments along the way. With that, everyone, we always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Roeboch alongside TJ. Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 1: Hey, that folks at a Thursday, July second, and a former olympian has been hit with a felony charge and is facing up to a decade in prison. What did he do? He put his hand in Trump's pool and with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. This has gotten not a hand, wrote The citation is one. This has gotten not a hand.
00:00:22
Speaker 2: It started out as a misdemeanor and now it's a felony. And yes, Janine Piro, the US attorney for DC, held a big press conference today and the headlines are everywhere. A former three time US Olympian, Yes, is being charged with the felony, as you mentioned, facing up to ten years in prison. And they claim that hern forcefully and violently pulled up and removed the bottom liner of Trump's reflecting pool with his bare hand.
00:00:54
Speaker 1: Go to prison ten years, Go to prison for ten years. This is this is too much, This is too far. We ropes, even if he did exactly what they say he did, roes, are they really they're trying to make this guy the poster show off of all the problems that have been wrong at the reflecting pool. See, we had to charge a guy with a felony that obviously we know what all this is. But I'm saying this has gone too far. This is gone, This is scary.
00:01:18
Speaker 2: This is scary. Scapegoating is what it is now. Of course sixty seven year old David Hearn, And I say of course because he has been speaking out. This happened on June nineteenth. He has been shouting from the rooftops. I didn't do anything. What are you talking about? But Janine Pirot, flanked with attorneys by her side in this presser, said that there are witnesses who describe David Hearn doing this. She claims he damaged at least two square feet of the sealant from the bottom of the reflecting pool surfee two square feet. She said that costs more than one thousand dollars in damages. And yes, a grand jury has handed down these indictments. Obviously, if you I'm sure you all have a pretty good idea of how grand jury's operate. But basically there is no defense presented. It's just the prosecution. They provided witnesses and damage assessments.
00:02:09
Speaker 1: You can indict a ham sandwich, absolutely.
00:02:11
Speaker 2: So it's not I wanted to just make sure he has that Just because a grand jury handed down the indictments doesn't mean that, oh wow, there must be compelling evidence against him. There is no defense presented whatsoever in a grand jury proceeding.
00:02:26
Speaker 1: And again, David Hearn, again, his name was in the headlines for several weeks. Was twoks ago ropes was the United States? When he had his put his hand in the water. Now, the pictures were crazy because we see the sixty seven year old guy who is fully in biking gear. He looks like he just got off the tow of fronts. He said he was on a long bike ride, so he stopped to do some vandalism when he got done. Is the story. Didn't they put him in handcuffs?
00:02:50
Speaker 2: They didn't. They put him in handcuffs right there. He was interrogated for hours and initially charged with the misdemeanor. But yes, today we are learning that that is now a felony charge. Now, according to Janine Piro, Hearn didn't use a weapon. Yes, he just used his hands to damage the pool. How do you do that? I mean, I'm just curious, like if a pool just say that's true, if the reflecting pool was perfectly fine, how could someone use their bare hands and damage a pool.
00:03:24
Speaker 1: She's not suggesting it was perfectly fine, and it wasn't. There was nothing wrong with it until his hand went into the water. No, this stuff was peeling up, and he put witch reached down like a lot of people did. And yes, some people actually took pieces for souvenirs. Okay, you shouldn't do that. Fine, you shouldn't get ten years in prison for it either. But Rose, there's no suggestion that this guy had had a tool or a knife, or just some cutting or just three hundred and fifty foot slash that the president was talking about, or the algae or the fertilizer. He put his hand in the water.
00:03:53
Speaker 2: He was curious. Now, he even admitted he was curious at the time.
00:03:57
Speaker 1: He is the chief vandal now, so every problem that's happened with that pool, they will be able to say, it ain't my fault, it ain't the White House fault. Look at what these left wing nuts are doing. Example a mister David Hurt.
00:04:14
Speaker 2: He is the exhibit A. And I thought this was interesting beyond just going over the indictment, going over the felony charge. Jeanine Piro thought it was really important to let everyone know that David Hearn also shouted at the park service employee you tried to stop him and was quote unquote rude.
00:04:33
Speaker 1: Lack him up, dude.
00:04:33
Speaker 2: So I wanted to let everyone else know that he not only was a vandal and a now potential felon, but he's also a rude, vandalizing felon.
00:04:44
Speaker 1: This is unforgivable. I hope the judge throws a book at him. You can't be rude. In addition, obviously I'm being sarcastic here, but Robes, didn't this feel to you. We've seen a lot of press conferences from federal officials and even from Jeanine Pierro. They held a press conference Robes like they just announced terrorism arrest.
00:04:58
Speaker 2: It was a lot of pomp and circumstance over something that actually seems.
00:05:05
Speaker 1: He put his hand in the water. He put his hand in the water, and he's he put his even the hell he has to go through, Robes.
00:05:14
Speaker 2: The legal fees, the headache. This is a retire he just retired. He had a business where he actually was explaining early on about why he actually was fascinated by what was happening with the liner because he had a canoe. He was a by the way, he was a three time Olympic canoeist for Team USA and up until his recent retirement he's sixty seven. He had a business where he made canoes and so waterproofing, canoes, waterproofing. This was part of what he did for a living, sealans, all of that. So he was just fascinated and interesting in what was going on. What kind of sealant did they use. It actually makes a lot of sense given the business he had been in.
00:05:56
Speaker 1: I have to say that that sounded a little like something I would tell my mom as an excuse, like that was awfully convenient. It could be one hundred percent true, but the chances of all that no, I just wanted to check it out because I have a business and I want to check That sounds a little now. If it's true, then obviously he has a reason for checking the thing out because it did start peeling, it did start screwing up, and this was the biggest pool job we have seen in this country ever. We've all watched this pool job. I've seen the poolboy out there working on the reflecting pool.
00:06:23
Speaker 2: Though. He was curious, but he says, and this is a direct quote from you, I did not remove yep. I did not damage. I did not rip, tear, break, destroy, or harm any part of the reflecting pool.
00:06:38
Speaker 1: It's pretty straightforward.
00:06:39
Speaker 2: By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs. So yes, he said he was a curious concern citizen that he was able to reach out and touch the edge that was still attached to the bottom, and he said he handled it a little bit. That's how he described it. I handled it a little bit. But he said he didn't remove it, he didn't damage it, he didn't break, peel, nothing, So just touching a liner that was floating, that was still attached and he just touched it. That was enough for him. That's what he says to get potentially up to ten years behind Piros.
00:07:15
Speaker 1: But Pierrot's story is that he two by two You said, foot section.
00:07:21
Speaker 2: Let me get this, Yeah, the square feet of sealant from the bottom.
00:07:25
Speaker 1: Is he ripped like violently? Right? Did she used the word violent?
00:07:28
Speaker 2: Yes, forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both of his hands. Hey man, that's how she describes it.
00:07:36
Speaker 1: Shouldn't there be video evidence of this? They know exactly when they.
00:07:40
Speaker 2: Have the witness, the Park Services video.
00:07:43
Speaker 1: The video there there's a camera on that's that pool, the National Mall all day long. You know exactly when he was arrested. There should be evidence of this.
00:07:52
Speaker 2: I agree, and maybe we in so many cases, always want to see the video because that is the irrefutable proof. Now, there was some dueling, very grand standing statements that I just want to read because it's Look, it's not funny because David Hearn is actually in serious trouble and this is deeply concerning. But my goodness, the guy was okay touching the liner, say he even pulled on it. This is what Janine Piro had to say about it. We will not allow our sacred monuments to be roped off or diminished in any way impacted by disgruntled individuals who think that they and not the rest of the nation, have the right to decide what should happen. These landmarks and monuments belong to all of us, and they must be protected for generations to come.
00:08:41
Speaker 1: I'm sorry, this is exhausting. It's exhausting if you feel that way, if you agree with her, if you agree with the president, you agree with this guy being arrested that. I mean, that's just okay, And I don't know what conversation to have with you about it, but it's just I don't know, ro It's terrifying that a man put his hand in the water. And I'm saying, if it happened exactly like they said it happened, Roes, what example, what are you trying to do? This is not stuff that happens in this country. Watch it from afar right, people being snatched off the street, arrested for minor things, thrown in jail for speaking out against the whatever people who are in power at the time. Ropes. We see this and I don't know why we're putting in a different category because it's happening in the United States. This is the thing we look at in other places and say, this is not who we want to be. This is ropes. I just it's so it's seemingly obvious what's happening here, and there's no I don't know how to make an argument if I'm sitting talking to somebody just in a bar, make an argument for why this guy should be indicted, but then to hear the federal government make the argument for why he should be indicted as if this is for real, Like, I can't believe you're saying this with a straight face.
00:09:57
Speaker 2: Okay, and you just queued up perfectly what Hearn's attorneys have said. He's known by Davy, He's a beloved Olympian. This is what they said. And I think this is speaking directly to what you were just saying. Davy Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every single 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.
00:10:41
Speaker 1: No, he's an ordinary, serious citizen who also represented this country in three Olympic Games. You throw that in there as well, rogues, But just he's right on everything. Shifting blame for your own failures. Look, it didn't work. We're gonna come back. We're gonna get it right. This sucks. Didn't work for the pool the first time, right, And we could turn this into all right, we're gonna keep trying to keep at it and keep at it. But instead it's turned into once again a huge political fight over algae. It's one hundred years they've been trying to fix it. It's okay that you didn't get it right the first time, mister President, keep at I'd love for that thing to be crystal blue.
00:11:19
Speaker 2: Oh no, but it was vandals. And you mentioned earlier about that three hundred, three hundred and fifty foot gash that the President talked about in front of reporters in the Oval office last week, saying it was cut a huge line. When we come back. Janine Pira was directly asked about that claim and asked to prove that claim. We'll tell you what she had to say when we come back. Welcome back everyone. Yes, we are talking about a three time former Olympian US canoeist, sixty seven year old Davy her now facing a felony charge and up to ten years in prison because, yes, he admits he put his hand to the reflecting pools. He touched some of the liner, but according to the Trump administration, he violently pulled it damaged two square feet, causing one thousand dollars worth of damage. And so yes, they are throwing the book at.
00:12:20
Speaker 1: Two square feet? What is this saying? It's it's longer than the Empire State Building is tall? Correct? Two square feet?
00:12:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's their big problem. But let's talk about the bigger problem that the President highlighted saying that someone used a sharp object three hundred cash, which created all of these floating pieces that people wanted to touch. So look, Janine Piro said, someone intentionally did a tremendous amount of damage to the pool. You can actually see where all the cutting is. So she brought it up during this press conference. So obviously a reporter no, but she's saying that's where it all started. And a report said, hey, you know what the president, the President said something about that as well last week. Could you share a picture of the damage and the cuts, remember they were asking President Trump to do that as well.
00:13:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, he said it'll come out in court.
00:13:12
Speaker 2: Okay. So Jeanine Piro said something very similar. She said, when I file a charge, I'll be happy to show you a picture. All right. What I'm trying to do, we're trying to find out who did it, okay, And until we get to that point, I'm not going to be able to, you know, discuss anything more than there was a tremendous damage that was caused. What why can't you show us a picture of the gash?
00:13:38
Speaker 1: Nobody can find it, should be able to see it.
00:13:40
Speaker 2: Did we Yes, you don't think that we haven't and reporters haven't looked for this gush. And they said that to President Trump. We've honestly, President Trump been looking for this gash that you describe. We can't see it. Can you say, can you give us a picture? Let me just ask you. We deal with a lot of criminal cases. We have seen plenty over the years, and sure we understand and the police oftentimes keep evidence close to the best because they don't want to do anything to cause any problems for them in court later if they actually see this. How does showing a picture of the damage do anything to your case against a now seemingly elusive criminal.
00:14:21
Speaker 1: Doesn't, baby, doesn't do anything to your case. But they've had no problem in the past immediately putting out video or images they think support whatever argument they are making in public. Didn't They put out some videos pretty quickly out of Minneapolis, even when things are going on in the street. They put this out and say, hey, look what this person was doing. They were quick to jump to conclusions to show and prove their case. This is not a big deal. The president says, there's a three hundred and fifty foot gash. If he could show that, he would go, look look at what they did to my pool.
00:14:54
Speaker 2: All over his truth social work. It would be highlighted, it would be circle. They would make sure everybody saw it. So and Timmy Piro was snippy. She didn't like that question. She didn't like being asked to produce a photo. So, yes, you'll just have to wait. And it was very much in the same tone as President Trump saying I can't. I'd like to, but you know, you'll have to wait for court.
00:15:21
Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, doubt if we ever see that picture, because it just the gash does not exist. Not plenty of reporters, plited news organizations, they're there every day. They've been looking for it. They might they might have scuba divers in the damn water looking for this gash. At this point, nobody you three hundred and fifty feet you see.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: It, you'd see it.
00:15:40
Speaker 1: It's just it's not there. Vandals didn't tear it up. It didn't work. Okay, we blew sixteen million dollars on a project. It's all right, mister president, it didn't work, you know what.
00:15:51
Speaker 2: And and that would be so much more welcome to hear that and then to say look, and if he even wanted to point out how much more money other presidents have spent trying to fix the reflecting pool, he's still significantly under budget, so he could have still saved face. And we tried something, obviously it's been tried before. We've got a new plan. We're gonna instead of pointing the finger and blaming everyone else. And by the way, on that point, Juanine Piro also said in this press conference today that a half dozen other cases are in the works right now against people who were also accused of vandalizing the pool. She said, so at least six other people are now facing charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. So it isn't just Davy hearn but obviously heard. But this is obviously a big story because we have the pictures, we know the guy, he represented our country, he was celebrated. He's an older gentleman who is on a fifty mile bike ride. Does anyone. Actually, I really like common sense here. What would possess a sixty seven year old former olympian who had just finished a fifty mile bike ride to go to the reflecting pool and decide to vandalize it?
00:17:02
Speaker 1: Robes? It's why because Robes. It's something that is affecting a lot of Americans these days. It's been going around for a while.
00:17:10
Speaker 2: Trump derangement syndrome.
00:17:12
Speaker 1: Yeah, it has devastating effects on people.
00:17:14
Speaker 2: You're going with TDS, which is the explanation for just about everything.
00:17:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's a real it's a real thing. It's a real thing. I'm starting to be a believer. It's a real thing. No, I'm saying ropes, not quite. It doesn't make sense.
00:17:27
Speaker 3: And I'm okay with a right if somebody wanted, if somebody went and spray graffiti on the MLK Memorial in DC, I would say, yeah.
00:17:38
Speaker 1: Charge that person. Find that person. You know what? Also, I would probably wouldn't say it's throw them in jail for ten years. I probably wouldn't say that. But Robes, we're talking about. This is a joke about damage she's done. It is a joke, but it is terrifying. I just beg y'all, remember the things we studied and talk about in other countries about people being unfairly brought to task by what whoever is in power that you aren't in line with or you disagree with roll He is being taken to federal court for touching the.
00:18:15
Speaker 2: Water and facing up to ten years behind bars. And this is a man who has just retired. I mean this, I just and I do think it was interesting, and I do think it's important and relevant to reiterate what his attorney said that yes, on the eve of our nation's independence day, this is where we are. What did you do this country?
00:18:38
Speaker 1: Pull up two feet? Right?
00:18:40
Speaker 2: Even if he did say he did, and okay, say he pulled up two square feet or damaged two square feet of the reflecting pool, Fine, give him a fine, give him some sort of a punishment. You're really going to charge him with a felony and have him spend the rest of his healthy years behind bars.
00:19:02
Speaker 1: And do this everybody, as as you're listening to it's, just close your eyes for a seconds and just imagine what I'm about to say to you. Just picture it. The January sixth insurrection. Every single one of those vandals who vandalized and destroyed parts of the Capitol was pardoned.
00:19:23
Speaker 2: And President Trump also wanted reparations for them.
00:19:27
Speaker 1: So what damage to government property are you willing to tolerate? Wow, robes, there's nothing to talk about here with this guy. There's not the robes. They climbed, they destroyed the capital. We saw them all on video. But they should be given a blanket pardon. That's okay for what you did. Roll if he put his hand in the water. He did not do any damage that was worse than a single January sixth insurrection.
00:19:53
Speaker 2: Way, that was such a good you know what, And I'm surprised his attorneys didn't bring that up. That is actually really inc to actually imagine putting those two images do it together, and then seeing the absolute diametrically opposed responses by the Trump administration to each of those actions.
00:20:13
Speaker 1: Can't vandalize our monuments. They have to be there for generations to come. We have to protect them at all costs. That's why we've indicted this guy. January sixth. Robes, they were climbing, tearing, destroying, glasses were broken. You remember those guys on the floor the Senate floor in Nancy Pelosi's office. Reckon shit.
00:20:35
Speaker 2: Okay, they're patriots, TJ. They're patriots.
00:20:41
Speaker 1: Oh, he put his hand in the wrner and touched the lining.
00:20:45
Speaker 2: That's where we are right now. Obviously this story is far, far, far from over, but we absolutely needed to hop on and let you all know what David Hearn is now facing. And you know, we can say this is a joke, but it's going to be an expensive and long and lengthy process for him, and we will continue to follow all the developments along the way. With that, everyone, we always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Roeboch alongside TJ. Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.