David Hearn lawyers say DOJ watchdog won’t probe failed prosecution — but Interior IG considering

Lawyers for former Olympian David Hearn say the Justice Department's inspector general has refused to examine how their client came to be prosecuted for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. According to the lawyers, the office replied on Oct. 8, two days after their request, that it had no authority to act. In a response obtained by MS NOW, they argued that the office does have jurisdiction over both administrative and criminal matters, and they cited possible witness tampering, obstruction of justice and civil rights violations. They also cautioned that declining review would erode public confidence. The Interior Department's inspector general, by contrast, wrote that it is weighing the request.

Hearn's team contends that officials ignored evidence in his favor for weeks and moved to indict amid pressure from President Donald Trump. A grand jury indictment followed in early July on a single felony property-destruction count, and Hearn denied guilt. U. S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro had publicly described the damage as violent vandalism, yet before the month ended she asked a court to drop the case. She said Interior withheld documents showing a contractor's faulty installation was responsible.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →