WASHINGTON (AP) — A former Olympic athlete faced indictment on Thursday over a criminal charge related to what President Donald Trump has termed as damage inflicted on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. This incident is amidst a renovation effort that Trump initiated, which has encountered various challenges.

David Hearn, an ex-Olympic canoeist, was formally charged in a Washington, D.C. court with a single count of property destruction.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, claimed that Hearn intentionally tore up the recently applied sealant on the pool, describing the act as causing over $1,000 in damage. She alleged that Hearn “forcefully and violently” removed the liner with both hands and behaved aggressively towards an employee who intervened.

“The evidence in this case is substantial,” Pirro stated, noting that approximately six additional misdemeanor arrests have been carried out by authorities.

In response, Norm Eisen, a co-founder of the Democracy Defenders Fund, and Mary Dohrmann, a senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group, issued a statement. They represent Hearn and denounced the charges as “outrageous,” suggesting that they should cause concern for all Americans. Eisen and Dohrmann argue that the case exemplifies “the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a fabricated narrative.”

“I’m a curious citizen,” Hearn said in a telephone interview last month. “I reached down to see what it felt like. It was very rubbery.”

Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, owned a company that made composite materials used to build watercraft.

Saying that he stopped by the pool during a 64-mile bike ride, Hearn said he was detained by National Guard troops and Park Police for five hours before being released.

Trump said last month that federal authorities made “multiple arrests” of people he accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool as he struggled to explain why the $16-million rehabilitation project he launched for the nation’s 250th anniversary seemingly backfired. Without providing any substantiation, he also said vandals dumped fertilizer into the pool and slashed the coating with a box cutter.

In subsequent days, National Guard members and U.S. Park Police patrolled the deck around the Reflecting Pool as Trump’s administration faced a self-imposed deadline to fix a botched renovation before the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. Contractors and federal workers used chemicals and ozone nanobubbles to combat an algae bloom, and Trump has said that problems most likely require draining the pool again for liner repairs.

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Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.

CNN anchor Elex Michaelson faced criticism on social media after suggesting that Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff might not be perceived as Jewish as compared to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. This remark came during a discussion on their potential candidacy for the 2028 Democratic presidential race.

In a segment of CNN’s “The Story Is” aired late Tuesday, Michaelson suggested that Ossoff could be a formidable contender in the 2028 primaries. He praised Ossoff for his adept messaging and disciplined approach, though he noted that Ossoff has yet to make an appearance on a debate stage.

Eric Messersmith, a radio host and YouTuber, and a guest panelist on the program, commented that while Ossoff hasn’t frequently appeared in media settings, he might be an ideal candidate to bridge the Democratic Party’s divided position on Israel.

Messersmith elaborated, “Ossoff, despite being Jewish, has been vocal in his criticism of the Israeli government and Benjamin Netanyahu. This gives him credibility on the issue, suggesting he could navigate the divide within the Democratic party’s opposing views.”

Michaelson further remarked, “As a member of the Jewish community, some individuals may embody Jewish characteristics more prominently than others. Jon Ossoff, for reasons open to interpretation, may not present as Jewish as Josh Shapiro, raising his hands in a manner that implied a non-threatening gesture.

Pundits on both sides of the aisle were quick to slam Michaelson’s comments.

Meghan McCain, a conservative commentator and daughter of late Sen. John McCain, wrote in a post on X: “What exactly are we doing?”

In a nearly identical post, Ryan Grim, the lefty co-founder of Drop Site News, wrote: “What are we doing??”

David Friedman, who formerly served as President Trump’s ambassador to Israel, wrote: “Most dangerous and offensive words in the modern vernacular: ‘As a Jew…’”

Podcaster Josh Barro seemed to side with Michaelson’s analysis, writing: “I think Josh Shapiro’s high level of religious observance – he is, yes, more obviously Jewish than some other Jewish pols – helps to code him as moderate and appeals to certain swing voters. He’s about to win a landslide re-election, after all.”

Ron Kampeas, a retired journalist for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, on the other hand, bashed the CNN journo’s comments.

“My job for 21 years was to write about how Jews ‘read,’” Kampeas wrote. “Ossoff and Shapiro both ‘read’ as Jews – we’re a diverse bunch. Let’s drop this litmus test crap and assess on policies, integrity etc.”

Dan Senor, who served as a foreign policy advisor to former Sen. Mitt Romney during his presidential campaign, remarked: “Crazy that this just counts as normal punditry these days.”

Democrats from Capitol Hill have unveiled a new report asserting that the Trump administration misled donors into financing what they describe as a politically charged America250 event.

An initial report released on Thursday by the Democrats from the House Natural Resources Committee claims that Trump and his team set up an organization to manipulate the trust and financial channels of the National Park Foundation.

Trump allies established Freedom 250, a supposed nonpartisan public-private project, to orchestrate the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, securing the majority of the government’s funds allocated for the celebrations.

In contrast, America250, the congressionally endorsed entity originally designated to lead the anniversary festivities, received only a minor portion of these financial resources.

This comprehensive 55-page dossier accuses Freedom 250 of tapping into the donor network shared with America250 to redirect funds towards events overwhelmingly centered around Trump. The report supports these allegations with testimonials from whistleblowers and newly unearthed documents.

‘This interim report documents how the machinery built for a national commemoration was converted, deliberately and over a period of months, into an apparatus for raising and spending money in service of the President’s ego, political ideology, and pet projects,’

One of the main allegations against Freedom 250 in the report is that Democrats accuse the group of possibly committing wire fraud. 

‘Freedom 250 may have conducted wire fraud by luring unsuspecting donors who intended to support the congressionally chartered foundation and giving them Freedom 250 bank information instead,’ the report states.  

A spokesman for America250 declined to respond to the substance of the report. 

‘This so-called ‘report’ is nothing more than a partisan smear from politicians who would rather manufacture division than celebrate America’s 250th birthday alongside the rest of the country,’ Freedom 250 Spox Danielle Alvarez told the Daily Mail. 

‘The claims are categorically false, and it’s disheartening that some in Washington are more interested in scoring political points than honoring our nation’s milestone.’

It also alleges that the hostile takeover of the 250th celebrations helped Trump enrich his allies, gather voter data and promote Christian ideology. 

Freedom 250 has been behind events like the White House UFC fight on Trump’s birthday, Trump’s speech opening the Great American State Fair and his upcoming Independence Day address, the upcoming Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington and more.

America250, by contrast, is hosting a concert in LA with Chris Stapleton, The Smashing Pumpkins, Chaka Khan, Queen Latifah and more – tickets cost $17.76. 

It is also hosting charitable events, like the Greatest American Cleanup, and educational events at presidential libraries. 

The report claims that America250 was starved of funds because donors diverted them to Freedom 250.  

‘Most troubling, Committee Democrats have received confidential disclosures that America250 donors were affirmatively misled by fundraisers, including the President’s lead fundraiser, Meredith O’Rourke.’

‘According to sources interviewed by Committee Democrats, donors who intended to donate to America250 were instead given wire instructions with Freedom 250’s banking information—including its routing number and account number—so that contributions would instead flow to Freedom 250.’ 

Freedom 250 offered different levels of sponsorship packages ranging from the hundreds of thousands to over $10 million which promised access to Trump, including ‘historic photo opportunities,’ the report claims. 

If Democrats take control of the House in this year’s midterms, California Democratic Congressman Jared Huffman, the top liberal on the committee, vows to use the majority’s subpoena power to investigate Freedom 250.

‘If and when we have more tools at our disposal to do investigation and oversight, perhaps in the next Congress you will see a lot more information on this, I’m sure,’ Huffman said. 

Freedom 250 has encountered some difficulties in planning events, including performers backing out of a June performance that was instead headlined by Trump giving a speech and mishaps at its National Mall celebration. 

Scorching heat in Washington over the holiday has soured enthusiasm for guests wishing to attend the outdoor Great American State Fair. Some of the generators at the event have given out too, causing significant troubles for vendors. 

‘I am incredibly proud of the momentum this Commission has achieved,’ America250 Chair Rosie Rios told the Daily Mail in a statement that didn’t comment on the report.

‘America250 has shown up in some of the biggest moments in culture and sports, from ringing in the New Year in Times Square and appearing in the Rose Parade, Artemis II launch, to the Super Bowl and the NBA Playoffs.’

The White House referred the Daily Mail’s comment request to Freedom 250. 

Lindsey Burrell, a former beauty queen, is bidding farewell to her television role in Iowa next week. Her departure marks the end of a three-year tenure as an anchor and reporter at WHO13, a Nexstar affiliate in Des Moines. This move has sparked rumors that she may join her boyfriend, sports anchor Jeff Dubrof, who is based in Florida at WFLA.

Burrell, who earned the title of first runner-up in the 2021 Miss South Carolina pageant, is exiting WHO13. She joined the news outlet in January 2023, as reported by the independent TV news industry blog, FTVLive. Her final broadcast is scheduled for next week.

According to FTVLive, Burrell is romantically linked with Dubrof, a sports anchor at WFLA in Tampa, which is also owned by Nexstar. This relationship has fueled speculation that she might transition to another television station in Florida.

While the blog did not specify Burrell’s next destination, she has remained silent about her future career plans.

When contacted by The Post, Burrell chose not to comment on the matter.

She built her television career across South Carolina, South Dakota and Iowa before emerging as one of WHO13’s versatile on-air personalities.

Burrell joined WHO13 in January 2023, where she anchored weekday dayside and evening newscasts, filled in on weekend and morning broadcasts, covered breaking news and major local events and contributed reports to Nexstar’s national cable network NewsNation.

She also produced the station’s “Remarkable Women” special, conducted long-form political interviews, covered Iowa’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race for Nexstar and reported extensively on community issues, education, government and public safety.

Before moving to Iowa, Burrell worked as an anchor, reporter and producer at KOTA Territory News and KEVN Black Hills FOX in Rapid City, SD, from August 2021 through December 2022.

Long before her television career, Burrell competed in the Miss America organization.

She finished as first runner-up at Miss South Carolina in 2021 while serving as Miss Spartanburg and received more than $13,000 in scholarship awards.

Her relationship with Dubrof has become increasingly public over the past year through social media posts from both journalists.

Dubrof previously worked as a sports reporter and weekend sports anchor at KCCI in Des Moines before leaving in October for WFLA in Tampa.

Although Burrell and Dubrof worked in the same television market for nearly three years, they were employed by competing stations before Dubrof relocated to Florida.

They later became employees of different Nexstar-owned stations in separate markets.

The Post has sought comment from WHO13 and Dubrof.

On Thursday, the individual accused of impersonating an abductor in the Nancy Guthrie case confessed in a Tucson, Arizona federal court to tormenting her family by demanding a fictitious ransom payment.

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, disappeared early on February 1 from her home in the Catalina Foothills area. The following day, local media outlets received ransom notes—however, their legitimacy remains under investigation.

Derrick Anthony Callella, a 42-year-old Hawthorne, California resident, sent these messages, which the FBI swiftly identified as fabrications. Callella was apprehended just days following the assumed abduction and faced charges related to online harassment.

As noted by Tucson-based KVOA-TV, Callella is anticipated to be sentenced to five years of federal probation during an upcoming court session.

He was accused of contacting Guthrie’s other daughter, Annie Guthrie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, from a spoofed phone number on Feb. 4 and asking, “Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction.” He also allegedly placed a nine-second call to the family afterward.

“Through the course of the investigation, it was found that Callella was acting as an imposter, trying to take advantage of the ongoing situation,” federal prosecutors said in a statement after the suspect’s first court appearance in mid-February.

According to court documents, investigators have not linked him to a Feb. 2 ransom demand sent to local media and TMZ. They did, however, allegedly link the spoofed number to a Google email account in Callella’s name.

After being read his Miranda rights, Callella allegedly confessed to sending two messages, saying he had found the family’s contact information online and had been following news coverage of the case, according to the criminal complaint.

Then-FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke told reporters about the arrest in a February news briefing but said the FBI was investigating a different ransom demand as potentially having come from the actual abductor.

Callella had been freed on $20,000 after his arrest and was not allowed to apply for a passport.

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings previously responded to two other ransom demands, that she said back in March she believes could be legitimate.

The identity of whoever sent them remains a mystery, however, and no arrests have been made.

“The FBI and its task force partners have received several ransom notes over the course of this investigation,” the FBI’s Phoenix office said in a statement on Wednesday. “Some have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy. Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such. This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case.”

The FBI is assisting in the investigation, the statement added, noting that the Pima County Sheriff’s Department remains the lead agency on the case.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, however, has repeatedly stated that the FBI is leading ransom-related investigations.

“Any questions regarding alleged ransom notes should be directed to the FBI,” he said in a statement of his own. “We appreciate the public’s continued cooperation and the information provided throughout this investigation. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit an anonymous tip to 88-CRIME.”

On Thursday, the sheriff’s department deferred comment on Callella’s plea to the FBI. The feds did not immediately respond.

On Thursday, a grand jury indicted David Hearn, a former US Olympian, following his arrest in Washington, DC. He was apprehended at the Reflecting Pool for allegedly dipping into its waters.

The 62-year-old athlete faced arrest last month after being accused of damaging the fresh paint job at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. This renovation had been a point of pride for President Donald Trump.

Speaking to CNN on Thursday, Hearn’s legal representative mentioned they had not received any updates beyond a prior misdemeanor citation that had been issued to Hearn.

President Trump, reacting to the incidents of vandalism, warned of severe legal consequences for anyone found damaging the pool, following substantial renovations.

On Truth Social, the President criticized those he termed as liberal vandals for the harm done to the upgraded pool. The newly painted ‘American flag blue’ finish had started to peel from the base.

‘Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail,’ he wrote.  

Hearn previously told the Daily Mail his arrest and the charges were a farce intended to boost a false narrative as he shared an image of the pool’s damaged facade. 

‘It’s a completely unfounded accusation. It’s a lie,’ Hearn said over the phone. ‘I didn’t rip, tear, destruct, destroy, or harm in any way, any part of the reflecting pool.’ 

Hearn admitted to touching a ‘loose flap of coating,’ but claimed he did so purely because he was ‘curious as a concerned citizen.’ 

President Trump championed the $16 million renovation as part of his goal to beautify Washington, DC, ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. 

But less than two weeks after the project was completed, the newly refinished paint job began peeling, and algae blooms turned the water green. Trump admitted over the weekend that the pool may need to be drained for repairs. 

‘They clearly wanted a news story that they could promote that was centered around vandals damaging the reflecting pool,’ Hearn said, adamant that he did nothing wrong. 

‘Officers were ready to arrest me and other people they found who they could have some contrived basis of charges on to accuse them of vandalism,’ Hearn said. 

The Olympian had also shared a photo he had taken of the peeling paint moments before his arrest. 

Video of Hearn’s arrest shows the Olympian standing by the Reflecting Pool with his bike before getting approached by two National Guard soldiers. The video then shows him walking over to four police officers and a third National Guard soldier.

A fifth officer dressed in a white shirt – identified by Hearn as Lieutenant Stone – can then be seen talking to the Olympian, whose hands were cuffed behind his back. Hearn said Stone ‘seemed to be the driving force behind the arrest.’ 

In a statement to the Daily Mail, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers replied to Hearn’s claims and said: ‘It is despicable that after attempting to vandalize a national monument, this deranged individual suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome would disparage the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the public and our nation’s capital.’ 

Trump later went on a longer screed against the vandals, accusing them of using ‘corrosive and destructive’ chemicals to ruin the pool.

‘Many additional people have been arrested having to do with the disgraceful Vandalism of our beautiful Reflecting Pool,’ he said, claiming they were ruining a monument that ‘hasn’t looked or worked like this since 1922.’ 

Trump added that he needed to speak to contractors, who promised to fix the problem but said they will ‘probably be forced to release and drain much of the water in order to do the necessary repairs.’

He accused the vandals of using knives to stab a ‘250 foot long gash’ into the pool, while also pouring ‘corrosive and destructive chemicals’ into it.   

‘We are very proud of what we have done with this magnificent structure, and we will get it repaired, quickly, to an equal level of Beauty,’ he said. 

However, just weeks after the triumphant announcement, the water in the Reflecting Pool turned a stomach-churning lime green. 

Crews were seen dumping hydrogen peroxide into the water to curb algal growth. 

The Department of the Interior, which is overseeing the project, said in a statement to media outlets that ‘nanobubbler technology’ had been installed to address the buildup of algae. 

‘Unlike under Obama and Biden, the National Park Service is actually maintaining the beautifully completed Reflecting Pool,’ a spokesperson for the department said in a statement to the Daily Mail.

‘To keep the water in the Reflecting Pool not only crystal clear but also clean, we are deploying high-tech nanobubble ozone technology.’

The department added that the technology kills algae, pathogens and contaminants that have long plagued the pool. 

The Trump administration then blamed former President Barack Obama for failing to keep up with renovations. 

The DOI confirmed that hydrogen peroxide was being used to treat the pool, but claimed there were no harmful side effects to the environment or marine life. 

The administration paid over $1.7 million to Green Water Solutions LLC last April for a ‘nano bubble,’ according to government spending files. 

Nanobubblers are microscopic gas bubbles. They suspend in water, increasing dissolved oxygen levels and altering the water chemistry. 

The gas bubbles damage algae cells and break them apart, preventing the water from turning green.

Nanobubbler technology has been tested and validated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Ohio State University and University of Florida, the DOI said. 

The Reflecting Pool has plagued previous administrations, as algae buildup has frequently prevented the water from properly reflecting the memorial as designed. 

The Obama administration poured over $35 million into a repair job, only for the green hue to return within a month. 

Trump has taken a stab at the project, initially projecting that renovations would cost $2 million and take a week to complete.

The project ended up costing $14 million and took two months to complete. Atlantic Industrial Coating received a no-bid contract after the administration bypassed bureaucratic procedures, the New York Times reported.

Trump said he personally picked the company after they worked on a pool at his Virginia golf club, however, he later said he did not know the contractor. 

When asked about the Times reporting, a spokesperson for the DOI told the Daily Mail: ‘The company selected was the only company that had the expertise, staff, and materials necessary to complete the project in time for major celebrations ahead of our 250th.’

Atlantic clarified in a statement to the Daily Mail that they were awarded the contract after they were recommended by the selected product supplier.  

‘We have never done work for President Trump, his companies, or anyone affiliated with him,’ a spokesperson for the company stated. 

‘We did line the pool with polyurea, not paint. We have nothing to do with the water, we were solely contracted to line the pool, thus making it water tight, to stop the leaks.’ 

The spokesperson added that the initial price for lining the pool was $13.1 million and two other product suppliers presented proposals.  

The White House directed all inquiries to the DOI when asked about the contract with the company.  

Earlier this month, the White House shared photos of the Reflecting Pool looking clear and blue.

‘The water is ON, the Reflecting Pool is reflecting, and DC is looking better than ever,’ the administration said.

However, just a few days later, the algae already started popping up again. A spokesperson for the DOI told CNN at the time that the algae was ‘residual.’ 

‘It’s part of the normal startup process. We are removing the algae, and the nanobubblers will maintain the pool and keep it algae free,’ they added. 

Individuals familiar with the project told the Times that they worried the renovation did not address buried pipes that often leaked. 

Trump has faced criticism ​for speeding past planning ​processes meant to preserve ⁠Washington’s carefully designed appearances in his renovation program, criticism that his administration has dismissed as partisan sniping while praising the real estate developer’s ​design acumen.

Lawmakers have also raised questions about his decision to accept a $400 ​million airplane from ⁠Qatar to be put into service as Air Force One, which ferries the president, his staff and security detail and journalists on his travels around the nation and the world. 

Security experts ⁠have ​warned that retrofitting the plane would require extensive security upgrades, ​communications improvements to prevent eavesdropping and missile-defense capabilities, all of which would take time and money to install.

Trump’s other plans for beautifying Washington include tearing down the ​East Wing of the White House to make space for a new ballroom ⁠and building a massive arch near Arlington National Cemetery, which honors the nation’s war ​dead and other prominent Americans.

The Daily Mail reached out to David Hearn and his attorney, Norm Eisen for comment.