Rep. Anna Paulina Luna doesn't believe in sending Olympic canoeist David Hearn up you-know-what creek without a paddle for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ... advocating for community service instead.

Our TMZDC team caught up with the congresswoman from Florida on Friday ... and had to ask her about a judge's decision to indict Hearn on the felony charge of destruction of federal property worth $1,000 or more.

Rep. Luna says the punishment -- if Hearn's found guilty -- shouldn't be too severe ... arguing that he should just do a few hours of community service.

She says DH might have to pay the piper ... but tells a story about when she committed some unintentional vandalism as a child -- not realizing it's bad form to write one's name in freshly poured concrete.

APL says she had to do work a few extra hours at her church ... and she learned her lesson. She thinks Hearn deserves pretty much the same -- though perhaps slightly more severe given he's a bit older than she was at the time.

Of course, David Hearn has maintained his innocence ... claiming he didn't peel paint off the reflecting pool like he's been accused of -- he just touched it.

Rep. Luna isn't totally buying that ... arguing a judge wouldn't indict him with no evidence -- especially since there's a bunch of cameras in the area.

Regardless -- if David's convicted-- he's got at least one member of Congress pushing for leniency!