A former U.S. Olympian has denied damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in the days after its floor was painted blue. David Hearn pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony destruction of property charge after prosecutors accused the three-time Olympic canoeist of “forcefully and violently” ripping up the bottom liner of the landmark, causing more than $1,000 in damage. He was released on a personal recognizance bond and is due back in court Aug. 5. Hearn has repeatedly rejected the allegation, telling The Washington Post after his arrest that he “didn’t vandalize anything.” He later told the Daily Mail the accusations were “completely unfounded” and said, “I didn’t rip, tear, destruct, destroy, or harm in any way, any part of the reflecting pool.” His attorneys have accused prosecutors of trying to “provide political cover” for the Trump administration after the landmark’s renovation was followed by algae problems, peeling material, and public criticism. Hearn said he only touched a “loose flap of coating” out of curiosity, adding, “We’ve already heard many lies from this administration. That’s just another lie.”
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