The Columbian51%
Justice Department drops criminal case against ex-Olympian charged with damaging Reflecting Pool 38%
By ERIC TUCKER47% Associated Press73%
7/31/2026, 4:41:52 PM
Keywords: Politics
BS Summary: This article contains 6 faulty reasoning types, including Biased Writer Voice, Confirmation Bias, and Recency Bias, with Special Pleading as the most egregious example at 55% saturation with 61 hits. Analysis detected 248 faulty-reasoning hits from 111 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 38.7% and a BS Rank of 38% (15,875 of 25,280 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 62.80% of the article peer group.
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saying evidence prosecutors had recently received refuted the idea that vandals were to blame.
Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing that additional documents provided by the Interior Department since the indictment of David Hearn show that the damage was the result of a botched installation by a contractor as well as “the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”
Confirmation Bias
34.2%Confirmation Bias
OverallThis article
34.2%AuthorEric Tucker
3.8%PublicationThe Columbian
2.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Anchoring Bias
0%Anchoring Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.5%PublicationThe Columbian
1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Availability Heuristic
0%Availability Heuristic
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
2.1%PublicationThe Columbian
3.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Representativeness Heuristic
0%Representativeness Heuristic
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
1.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Hindsight Bias
0%Hindsight Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.6%PublicationThe Columbian
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Overconfidence Bias
0%Overconfidence Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.7%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Framing Effect
10.8%Framing Effect
OverallThis article
10.8%AuthorEric Tucker
6.9%PublicationThe Columbian
6.8%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Loss Aversion
0%Loss Aversion
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.1%PublicationThe Columbian
1.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Status Quo Bias
0%Status Quo Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.2%PublicationThe Columbian
0.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Sunk Cost Effect
0%Sunk Cost Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Optimism Bias
0%Optimism Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.4%PublicationThe Columbian
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Pessimism Bias
0%Pessimism Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.8%PublicationThe Columbian
2.8%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Negativity Bias
0%Negativity Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
9.4%PublicationThe Columbian
10.4%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Self-Serving Bias
0%Self-Serving Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
2.5%PublicationThe Columbian
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Fundamental Attribution Error
0%Fundamental Attribution Error
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.9%PublicationThe Columbian
0.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Actor-Observer Bias
0%Actor-Observer Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.2%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
In-Group Bias
0%In-Group Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.5%PublicationThe Columbian
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Out-Group Homogeneity Bias
0%Out-Group Homogeneity Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.9%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Halo Effect
0%Halo Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.7%PublicationThe Columbian
1.8%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Horn Effect
0%Horn Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Dunning-Kruger Effect
0%Dunning-Kruger Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Recency Bias
34.2%Recency Bias
OverallThis article
34.2%AuthorEric Tucker
1.3%PublicationThe Columbian
1.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Primacy Effect
0%Primacy Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.4%PublicationThe Columbian
0.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Blind-Spot Bias
0%Blind-Spot Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Ad Hominem
0%Ad Hominem
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
1.3%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Straw Man
0%Straw Man
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Appeal to Authority
34.2%Appeal to Authority
OverallThis article
34.2%AuthorEric Tucker
2.5%PublicationThe Columbian
3.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
False Dilemma
0%False Dilemma
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
1.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Slippery Slope
0%Slippery Slope
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.2%PublicationThe Columbian
1.4%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Circular Reasoning
0%Circular Reasoning
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.3%PublicationThe Columbian
0.5%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Hasty Generalization
0%Hasty Generalization
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
2.9%PublicationThe Columbian
2.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Red Herring
0%Red Herring
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.2%PublicationThe Columbian
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Bandwagon
0%Bandwagon
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.3%PublicationThe Columbian
1.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Appeal to Emotion
0%Appeal to Emotion
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
3.8%PublicationThe Columbian
4.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Begging the Question
0%Begging the Question
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.5%PublicationThe Columbian
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Post Hoc (False Cause)
0%Post Hoc (False Cause)
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
1.5%PublicationThe Columbian
1.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Tu Quoque
0%Tu Quoque
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.3%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Burden of Proof
0%Burden of Proof
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
1.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Appeal to Nature
0%Appeal to Nature
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Composition/Division
0%Composition/Division
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Anecdotal
0%Anecdotal
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.6%PublicationThe Columbian
0.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
No True Scotsman
0%No True Scotsman
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Ambiguity (Equivocation)
0%Ambiguity (Equivocation)
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
1.9%PublicationThe Columbian
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Gambler’s Fallacy
0%Gambler’s Fallacy
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Middle Ground
0%Middle Ground
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Personal Incredulity
0%Personal Incredulity
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0%PublicationThe Columbian
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Special Pleading
55%Special Pleading
OverallThis article
55%AuthorEric Tucker
0.7%PublicationThe Columbian
0.5%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Genetic Fallacy
0%Genetic Fallacy
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Unattributed Quote
0%Unattributed Quote
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
2.7%PublicationThe Columbian
2.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Quote-first Misdirection
0%Quote-first Misdirection
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
2.3%PublicationThe Columbian
0.8%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Biased Writer Voice
55%Biased Writer Voice
OverallThis article
55%AuthorEric Tucker
5.8%PublicationThe Columbian
4.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Indoctrination
0%Indoctrination
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.5%PublicationThe Columbian
1.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Politically Left Leaning Bias
0%Politically Left Leaning Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
2.1%PublicationThe Columbian
0.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Politically Right Leaning Bias
0%Politically Right Leaning Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.7%PublicationThe Columbian
0.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Attempt to Sell a Product or Service
0%Attempt to Sell a Product or Service
OverallThis article
0%AuthorEric Tucker
0.2%PublicationThe Columbian
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
111 words analyzed.
Analysis
Hover over highlighted words in the article to view the associated bias or fallacy analysis.