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Three-time U.S. Olympian David Hearn pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday morning to a felony charge of property destruction. Federal prosecutors accuse Hearn of deliberately tearing up protective sealant from the newly remodeled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, causing more than $1,000 in damage during a June 19 incident. Hearn, a 67-year-old resident of Bethesda, Maryland, entered the plea through his legal representation during his initial court appearance.

Federal prosecutors contend Hearn, who stopped at the landmark during a 64-mile bicycle ride, deliberately pulled up a section of the blue sealant installed as part of the Reflecting Pool’s multimillion-dollar renovation. According to District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, National Park Service employees observed Hearn “forcefully and violently” ripping away roughly two square feet of the pool’s freshly installed epoxy liner with both hands. Law enforcement authorities arrested Hearn later that day following an alleged verbal dispute with a park worker. If convicted of the single felony count, Hearn could face up to 10 years in prison for causing more than $1,000 in property damage.

Hearn and his defense team have vehemently denied the government’s narrative, characterizing the interaction as an innocent act of civic interest. The athlete previously explained that he merely noticed a piece of the pool’s coating already floating loose and reached into the water to see what it felt like, obeying orders to let go as soon as a park worker intervened. Standing outside the courthouse on Thursday, defense attorney Norm Eisen told a crowd of vocal supporters that the administration was attempting to use his client as a “scapegoat … for their own failures.” Defense lawyer Mary Dohrmann added during the proceedings that “the government’s evidence is weak,” pushing back against a prosecutorial request to bar Hearn from visiting the site. Associate Judge Carmen McLean ordered Hearn released on his own recognizance without imposing any travel restrictions or supervision conditions.

The arrest has intensified political scrutiny surrounding a troubled $16 million renovation project aimed at restoring the landmark. President Trump has repeatedly blamed coordinated acts of vandalism for the immediate appearance of severe algae blooms and peeling paint across the pool floor. However, critics of the administration argue that the multi-million-dollar project was rushed and poorly executed, pointing to statements from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum indicating that the algae problems originated within the local plumbing infrastructure.

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Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Maine, announced that he is suspending his campaign operations. The decision follows a public allegation of sexual assault made by a former girlfriend, which led to a swift erosion of support from key political allies and party leaders. The political newcomer had been scheduled to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.

In an 11-minute video message posted to social media, Platner maintained his innocence and stated that the accusations are “all false ,” arguing that support essential to sustaining his campaign had been withdrawn. “This is incredibly difficult because I know some will think it is an admission of guilt and it most certainly is not,” and added, “We are not doing it because of the allegations, we are doing it because of the structures that are being taken from us by those in power.”

The campaign’s collapse came two days after Politico published an on-the-record accusation by Jenny Racicot, who dated Platner on and off for two years. Platner has strongly rejected the claim, as well as a subsequent report in The Washington Post involving another former partner. The allegations, however, prompted a rapid collapse in backing from prominent Democratic leaders and organizations, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and other party allies, who publicly urged him to leave the race.

Platner, a Marine Corps veteran and oyster farmer, had previously sustained political momentum despite enduring months of scrutiny over other aspects of his personal life and past conduct. Previous controversies included revelations about a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi paramilitary symbol, which he later covered, and past internet forum posts that he apologized for and attributed to untreated post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite those issues, Platner won the June Democratic primary with 72 percent of the vote after his primary opponent, Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her bid in April.

Platner’s withdrawal creates an unexpected challenge for Maine Democrats as they seek to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a race viewed as pivotal to determining control of the U.S. Senate. Under Maine election rules, the state Democratic Party is expected to convene to select a replacement nominee before the state’s deadline. Several Democrats, including former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, have already emerged as potential candidates following Platner’s decision.

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear sent a formal letter Wednesday to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office, requesting that the long-serving lawmaker provide a public disclosure regarding his medical condition. The move comes as McConnell, 84, has been hospitalized in Washington, D.C. following an undisclosed health event at his home on June 14, while his office has not disclosed the reason for his admission – prompting widespread public conjecture about his well-being. Staff members have only said that McConnell is receiving excellent care and “continues to improve,” while remaining involved in Senate business during his recovery.

In his correspondence, Beshear emphasized that the prolonged lack of clarity has heightened anxiety among state residents regarding the senator’s physical condition and capability to execute his official duties. “Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the health and well-being of Sen. McConnell. As Governor – and a fellow public official who understands the commitment we’ve made to the people we serve – I am requesting the Senator provide an update on his current health status,” Beshear stated. The governor noted that establishing direct transparency would serve the public interest far better than allowing the ongoing rumor mill to persist. “Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians, and my hope is that this provides him the opportunity to share the information in a transparent manner, direct from the source,” Beshear added, while also extending wishes for “a safe and speedy recovery.”

The lack of detailed updates has prompted growing questions from political leaders and the public. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso and former McConnell adviser Scott Jennings have all said they recently spoke with the senator by phone, describing him as alert, engaged and following national and international events. Even so, McConnell has not appeared publicly or issued a personal statement since entering the hospital, allowing rumors about his condition to spread online. His health status has been magnified by reports of a local emergency dispatch audio from the morning of his hospitalization, which detailed first responders arriving at his residence to treat an unconscious individual experiencing cardiac arrest.

McConnell, who previously announced he would step down from his leadership post and retire from the Senate at the conclusion of his term in January 2027, has experienced multiple high-profile medical setbacks in recent years. These incidents include a concussion and broken rib sustained during a fall in 2023, two instances where he momentarily froze during press conferences, and an eight-day hospital stay for flu-like symptoms earlier this year. Representatives for McConnell’s office did not immediately provide an official response to the governor’s letter.

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A federal judge on Wednesday authorized the release of more than $5 million to author E. Jean Carroll, dismissing a final attempt by President Donald Trump to halt the transfer of funds stemming from a 2023 civil trial. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan issued the directive for the court clerk to disburse the money, which was previously deposited into a court-managed escrow account and has expanded to roughly $5.8 million due to accumulated interest. The ruling follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal late last month to review Trump’s appeal of the initial verdict, which found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

The dispute traces back to a May 2023 Manhattan civil trial where a Manhattan jury concluded that Trump sexually abused the former magazine columnist inside a luxury department store dressing room in 1996 and subsequently damaged her reputation with false, vitriolic denials when she went public with the allegations in a 2019 memoir. Trump has consistently maintained his innocence and denied all allegations of wrongdoing. After the verdict, Trump deposited the judgment into the court registry while challenging the ruling through the appeals process. Carroll’s attorneys sought release of the funds after the Supreme Court declined to review the case late last month.

Trump’s legal team argued the payment should remain on hold because he has filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to rehear his appeal. His attorneys contended that releasing the money could result in an “unrecoverable loss” if Carroll follows through on previous statements that she intends to donate the award. Judge Kaplan rejected that argument, determining the conditions governing the escrowed funds had been satisfied and that Carroll was entitled to receive the judgment. Trump immediately appealed the disbursement order.

This particular payout addresses only the first of two successful civil lawsuits brought against Trump by the 82-year-old writer. A separate Manhattan federal jury in January 2024 awarded Carroll an additional $83 million in damages after determining that Trump continued to defame her through public statements he issued from the White House in 2019 and during subsequent public appearances. That separate multi-million dollar verdict remains under active appeal by Trump’s legal team, with a filing deadline for a Supreme Court review slated for later this month.

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A federal judge on Tuesday rejected an effort by the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain the names and personal contact information of everyone who worked or volunteered during the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia.

U.S. District Judge William Ray quashed the grand jury subpoena, which federal prosecutors had originally issued in April to secure records from the state’s most populous county. In his ruling, Ray noted that the federal government’s request failed to meet the necessary threshold for disclosure. “Given the low need for the subpoenaed information and the highly burdensome nature of the disclosure of the same, the Subpoena is unreasonable and must be quashed,” Ray wrote.

The legal battle over the identities of the poll workers followed a January search warrant executed by the FBI at the Fulton County election hub, during which federal agents confiscated hundreds of boxes of 2020 ballots and documents. County officials subsequently filed a motion to block the subsequent subpoena, asserting that the sweeping request was designed to “target, harass and punish the President’s perceived political opponents” and called the filing “grossly over broad and untethered to any reasonable need.” Kamal Ghali, a legal representative for the county, additionally warned that giving up the private records “will chill participation by election workers” and pointed out that the statute of limitations for potential 2020 misconduct had already run out.

Department of Justice attorney William McComb pushed back against the county’s timeline argument, stating that the statute of limitations does not restrict active investigative measures. In court filings, federal prosecutors maintained that the grand jury request was simply the “next step in the normal investigative process” as authorities look for “records identifying persons with relevant knowledge.”

The ruling follows months of federal scrutiny surrounding Fulton County’s 2020 election operations. Earlier this year, the FBI executed a search warrant at the county’s election warehouse and seized hundreds of boxes of ballots and related records as part of a broader Justice Department investigation. A separate federal judge later allowed the government to retain those materials while the inquiry continues. The administration has also significantly expanded the investigation, assigning hundreds of FBI analysts to review election-related records, even as Georgia’s 2020 presidential results were previously confirmed through multiple counts, including a full hand recount.

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Emergency personnel evacuated multiple high-rise buildings and implemented widespread street closures in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday after structural columns buckled inside a 37-story skyscraper undergoing residential conversion. More than 100 fire and emergency medical personnel responded to 235 East 42nd Street shortly before 8 a.m. following initial reports of falling bricks.

Upon arrival, New York City Fire Department crews and Department of Buildings inspectors discovered sagging floors and severe structural compromise rather than falling debris, identifying two severely buckled support columns beginning to deform on the 21st and 22nd floors; which led officials to clear nearby offices, a hotel and a school while closing surrounding streets.  The structural failure caused the building’s 21st through 26th floors to sink under the weight, presenting a localized collapse hazard. First responders established a secure collapse zone, completely halting pedestrian and vehicle traffic from 40th to 45th Streets between First and Third Avenues. As an additional safety precaution, the FDNY ordered the evacuation of nine surrounding buildings, including a local Hampton Inn and a nearby school containing approximately 400 students. No injuries were reported, and all workers were safely accounted for.

The active construction site (formerly the global headquarters of Pfizer) is located near Grand Central Terminal and the United Nations headquarters, is currently the focus of one of the largest commercial-to-residential redevelopment projects in the city’s history, intended to transform the office complex into 1,600 luxury rental units. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that the high-rise “remains unstable” as ongoing monitoring indicated further shifting within the compromised columns. According to FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito, “It’s a very serious situation because the box beams—the steel beams—have started to bend and deflect from the weight,” noting that the structure continued to move after emergency crews arrived on the scene.

The building’s developer, Metro Loft, stated that the affected area is limited to a small section of the property and that the total structure is not facing an imminent complete failure. However, representatives from Steamfitters Local 638 who were on-site described chaotic scenes as the failure began, with union spokesperson Cliff Johnsen stating that “the high beams are bending like cigarettes in there, which is super dangerous,” while reporting falling concrete and vibrating window panes. City records show the property has accumulated 22 building violations since 2020, with 13 remaining open. Following Tuesday’s structural shift, the Department of Buildings submitted an official complaint against the developers, alleging that ongoing excavations deviated from the municipality’s approved architectural blueprints.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed that state building inspectors joined local municipal engineers at the site to stabilize the high-rise. Emergency protocols require structural teams to utilize drone imagery to evaluate the internal shifts before entering the interior. Once city engineers declare the space safe for personnel to enter, emergency crews plan to install structural steel trusses to shore up the shifting floors and reinforce the damaged columns.

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