The Atlantic featured Rockville City Councilmember Adam Van Grack in a major national story examining the federal prosecution of three-time Olympian and world champion canoeist Davey Hearn following his arrest at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The article, written by The Atlantic staff writer Matt Viser, looked closely at the circumstances surrounding Hearn’s arrest, the condition of the Reflecting Pool liner, the felony charges brought against him, and the growing concerns that the prosecution represented an extraordinary overreach.

Adam was interviewed for the story because of his decades-long relationship with Hearn and his background in the sport. Before serving on the Rockville City Council, Van Grack chaired USA Canoe/Kayak, the U.S. Olympic governing body for canoe and kayak sports, and Hearn was both a longtime friend and former coach.

“The U.S. government could not have picked a worse person to be the headliner felony defendant in this trial,” Adam told The Atlantic, pointing to Hearn’s decades of service to the paddling community, environmental stewardship, and volunteer work along the Potomac River.

Adam also challenged the broader premise behind the prosecution, noting the Reflecting Pool’s long history as a public gathering place. “Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I put my hand in the Reflecting Pool,” he told the magazine. “It’s been the people’s pool, as opposed to this idea that if you touch the water or touch the bottom of the pool, you’ve committed a felony.”

The article also detailed evidence cited by Hearn’s attorneys showing that portions of the Reflecting Pool liner were already separating before his arrest, as well as the national attention generated by the case and the large group of supporters who attended Hearn’s first court appearance.

Read the full article in The Atlantic: “The Canoeist Accused of Destroying the Reflecting Pool.”