Raskin Vows to ‘Do Everything I Can’ to Help Olympian Accused of Reflecting Pool Vandalism: ‘Orwellian Charges’

Mark Schiefelbein/AP photo

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) issued a sharply-worded statement Thursday vowing to “do everything I can” to help defend David Hearn, the former Olympian who was arrested and accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool — and he took some not-so-subtle digs at President Donald Trump as well.

The president has been infuriated by the troubles plaguing the work he has directed for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, including bright green algae and peeling paint. Trump and others in his administration have claimed the problems have been caused by vandals; these claims have been met with much skepticism by the media and local D.C. residents, but several arrests have been made nonetheless.

One of these arrests was Hearn, who was hit with a charge for destruction of government property when he stopped at the Reflecting Pool to check it out after a bicycle ride.

Hearn has maintained his innocence, telling The Washington Post, “I reached in there, and I was able to grab the end of that flapping piece, the already peeling piece. It was still attached to the bottom. I didn’t remove anything.”

“I didn’t vandalize anything,” he insisted. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, has publicly accused Hearn of having “willfully destroyed property” at the Reflecting Pool, claiming he “forcefully and violently” pulled up the bottom liner, and was able to secure a grand jury indictment for a felony charge of damage to government property.

Hearn pleaded not guilty Thursday. His attorney, Norm Eisen, made a statement to reporters warning that the case set a dangerous precedent:

If Mr. Hearn can be charged with a felony for touching the reflecting pool, every American is at risk, and every American should be alarmed about this prosecution. This indictment reflects the administration’s effort to scapegoat Davey and to shift blame for their own failures. We will litigate these issues vigorously. We have confidence in our justice system to see through this misuse of government power against an ordinary American based on a false and politicized narrative.

Raskin, a Harvard Law School alumnus who taught constitutional law for over 25 years, has spoken out about Hearn’s case, noting that he is a constituent of his as a Maryland resident.

In a statement sent to Mediaite by Raskin’s office, the Maryland congressman denounced Hearn’s prosecution and made multiple references to Trump, including literally referring to the charges against Hearn as “Trumped-up charges” and declaring that Hearn “would never desecrate a federal building or landmark by writing his name on it or affixing his name illegally to it or engaging in any other kind of political graffiti, vandalism or delinquency,” a likely reference to Trump’s efforts to add his name to the Kennedy Center, which have been the subject of a months-long court battle.

Last month, Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, ordered Trump’s name to be removed. This was done (albeit a bit after the court-ordered deadline), but a tarp and scaffolding were put up and left there. The judge has now ordered Trump to provide a status report by the end of this month explaining the reason the tarp and scaffolding are still up.

The full text of Raskin’s statement is below:

Raskin Statement on “Trumped-up Charges” Facing Constituent, Three-time Olympian Canoeist Davey Hearn in Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Case

Raskin: “I hope—and will do everything I can to guarantee—that Davey gets true due process and a fair trial on these absurdly trumped-up charges.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Representative Jamie Raskin (MD-08) released the following statement as his constituent and three-time Olympian canoeist Davey Hearn is set to be arraigned “on a Kafkaesque arrest and Orwellian charges”:

Davey Hearn is my constituent, a native-born resident of Montgomery County, a three-time Olympian canoeist, and a famed and celebrated teacher and coach of canoeing and kayaking in our community. He is beloved in my district as a model citizen whether on water or on dry land. He is a great guy.

Davey Hearn would never desecrate a federal building or landmark by writing his name on it or affixing his name illegally to it or engaging in any other kind of political graffiti, vandalism or delinquency. He would never intentionally damage government property. Whether we are talking about the White House, the Reflecting Pool or the Kennedy Center, Davey would never try to alter, bulldoze or redesign federal property or buildings without explicit Congressional authorization and direction. Davey is an honorable and law-abiding citizen who has won real giant prizes, including eight world championships. He did so without any corrupt practices and only through his magnificent hard work and surpassing dedication to the team. He would never try to undercut or sabotage anyone, much less our entire community.

I hope—and will do everything I can to guarantee—that Davey gets true due process and a fair trial on these absurdly trumped-up charges. It is only a matter of time before an impartial judge and jury recognize that this case has been built on a Kafkaesque arrest and Orwellian charges.

I’m wishing Davey all best luck, constitutional justice and the real Rule of Law over the course of his trial. The people of Maryland’s 8th are with you, Davey!

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