Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has publicly contested the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent decision to dismiss felony destruction-of-property charges against former Olympian David Hearn. The charges were originally filed in connection with damage sustained by the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Following a review of new evidence, the DOJ concluded that the damage to the pool was caused by faulty construction rather than intentional criminal activity. Consequently, the government moved to drop the case against Hearn. Secretary Burgum, however, has rejected this assessment, asserting that the damage was indeed the result of vandalism. The disagreement highlights a rare public rift between the Department of the Interior and the DOJ regarding the investigation of federal property damage. While the DOJ has signaled that the case is closed based on their findings, Burgum’s comments suggest a continued belief that criminal accountability is warranted for the incident.