UMVA has learned that a former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn, has been linked to a major left-wing fundraising network amidst a wave of protests on the National Mall, which resulted in multiple criminal charges.
Hearn, 67, a three-time summer Olympian and registered Democrat, made significant donations to Democratic fundraising apparatus, contributing to Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns five times, and donating to ActBlue on 10 separate occasions.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Hearn was charged with a misdemeanor for destruction of government property after allegedly grabbing a hose being used by a National Park Service worker at the Reflecting Pool on Saturday.
The incident occurred as protesters descended on the National Mall, sparking scrutiny over the recently completed $14.8 million restoration project, which has been met with outrage from Democratic lawmakers and Washington residents.
ActBlue, the fundraising apparatus Hearn donated to, has funneled billions of dollars to Democratic candidates, including New York democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and has drawn scrutiny for its overseas donations that prompted federal probes into donor fraud.
Hearn claimed he was simply a "curious citizen" who "reached down to see what it felt like" and described the hose as feeling "very rubbery," according to statements made to The Associated Press.
This is not Hearn's first run-in with the law; in 1996, he was arrested by U.S. Park Police for ignoring an emergency closure of the Potomac River during a severe rainstorm and launching a canoe onto the river despite restrictions.
An administration official revealed that five people have been arrested on vandalism charges, while federal citations were issued to five additional individuals, with a total of 14 filed for vandalism, including one incident involving a suspect who allegedly used a blade to slash nearly 300 feet of the pool’s liner.
President Donald Trump took to social media to condemn the vandalism, highlighting the incident and stating that vandals damaged the grounds surrounding the Reflecting Pool and used chemicals to damage the pool's newly installed surface.
The Reflecting Pool restoration project has been a point of contention, with Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell expressing outrage on behalf of her constituents over the algae growth and peeling paint.
