The seal of the U.S. Justice Department is seen on the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
Sarah K. Burris
January 30, 2026
ALTERNET
MS NOW reporter Carol Leonnig is reporting that federal prosecutors in two different states refused to handle the attempts to indict journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort.
"What we've been hearing for really a week and a half has been concern among prosecutors in Minnesota about the way this office has basically been by the deputy attorney general and the attorney general's office," said Leonnig.
The acting U.S. attorney in the Minnesota District is Dan Rosen, who has no experience as a prosecutor, she explained.
That "will sound familiar to a lot of you on the panel, because that was one of the major problems in the Eastern District of Virginia," Leonnig said in passing about attorney Lindsey Halligan, who was forced out by a judge in the district.
"But the new news here is that those prosecutors [had] concerns about the immigration arrests and whether or not those were legal. They are also very concerned and declined to participate in this, because they don't believe the Don Lemon charges will actually stand up," Leonnig said.
Prosecutors are generally advised not to prosecute a case that they know they can't win. That has changed in the era of President Donald Trump, who has used the Justice Department to go after some of his top enemies.
Lemo was arrested in Los Angeles, where he was slated to cover the Grammy Awards. He may have had a grand jury indictment in Minnesota, but all of those documents are under seal and the public and press cannot view them. To get an arrest of Lemon in Los Angeles, however, many prosecutors there were involved, Leonnig said.
They "also registered concern, and some of them declined to participate in this because, again, they have a duty of candor to the court," added Leonnig. "They don't feel comfortable bringing cases and pursuing cases where they do not think the facts line up with the charges."
MS NOW host Ana Cabrera noted that this isn't the first time the public has seen local prosecutors from the Justice Departmen "buck orders" from the Washington office.
Leonnig called it "worrisome" because it reveals that the main Justice Department "is going to continue directing who is targeted" by Trump. They are also willing to "use whatever means that are at their disposal, whether or not convictions are ever achieved."
MS NOW reporter Carol Leonnig is reporting that federal prosecutors in two different states refused to handle the attempts to indict journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort.
"What we've been hearing for really a week and a half has been concern among prosecutors in Minnesota about the way this office has basically been by the deputy attorney general and the attorney general's office," said Leonnig.
The acting U.S. attorney in the Minnesota District is Dan Rosen, who has no experience as a prosecutor, she explained.
That "will sound familiar to a lot of you on the panel, because that was one of the major problems in the Eastern District of Virginia," Leonnig said in passing about attorney Lindsey Halligan, who was forced out by a judge in the district.
"But the new news here is that those prosecutors [had] concerns about the immigration arrests and whether or not those were legal. They are also very concerned and declined to participate in this, because they don't believe the Don Lemon charges will actually stand up," Leonnig said.
Prosecutors are generally advised not to prosecute a case that they know they can't win. That has changed in the era of President Donald Trump, who has used the Justice Department to go after some of his top enemies.
Lemo was arrested in Los Angeles, where he was slated to cover the Grammy Awards. He may have had a grand jury indictment in Minnesota, but all of those documents are under seal and the public and press cannot view them. To get an arrest of Lemon in Los Angeles, however, many prosecutors there were involved, Leonnig said.
They "also registered concern, and some of them declined to participate in this because, again, they have a duty of candor to the court," added Leonnig. "They don't feel comfortable bringing cases and pursuing cases where they do not think the facts line up with the charges."
MS NOW host Ana Cabrera noted that this isn't the first time the public has seen local prosecutors from the Justice Departmen "buck orders" from the Washington office.
Leonnig called it "worrisome" because it reveals that the main Justice Department "is going to continue directing who is targeted" by Trump. They are also willing to "use whatever means that are at their disposal, whether or not convictions are ever achieved."
'I’m not going to shut my mouth': CNN host sends message to DOJ live on air
CNN hosts Sara Sidner and Brian Stelter (Photo: Screen capture)
Sarah K. BurrisJanuary 30, 2026 | 09:42AM ET
CNN morning news host Sara Sidner made it clear that she is not intimidated by the recent arrest of two journalists for covering a Minneapolis protest inside of a church.
Speaking to Brian Stelter about their former colleague and friend Don Lemon, Sidner said she wouldn't be intimidated.
"That is stark. It is reality. There is, as we have spoken about, the potential of a major chilling effect, although I certainly am not going to shut my mouth. I know that you won't either. There are many journalists that will continue to to call a spade a spade," said Sidner.
She noted that it might be easier for large outlets like CNN who have the corporate protection to defend it's staff.
"There is a definite fear here, especially for those who are independent journalists, who are smaller, who don't have an apparatus around them as they are out in the streets, or if they go into, buildings, whether or not they are protected and whether they have the means," Sidner closed.
Stelter read a comment from Lemon ally Jennifer Welch, who told Lemon, "You are a prize for them. An independent, gay, black, happy, successful man. And this is an attempt to intimidate and beat you down."
He added that agents also arrested former NAACP president Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer.
'As weak as it gets': Attorneys laugh at Trump DOJ's indictment of Don Lemon
Journalist Don Lemon in New York City on October 28, 2019 (Image: Shutterstock)
Carl Gibson
Journalist Don Lemon in New York City on October 28, 2019 (Image: Shutterstock)
Carl Gibson
January 30, 2026
ALTERNET
The indictment of journalist Don Lemon was recently unsealed, and many legal experts are largely in agreement that the charging document is flimsy at best.
On Friday, CNN host Jake Tapper posted the unsealed 12-page indictment of his former colleague to his official X account. Lemon has been charged with one count of conspiracy against right of religious freedom at place of worship and one count of impeding access to the exercise of religious freedom at a place of worship. The charges stem from Lemon documenting a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota where one of the pastors is reportedly in a leadership position within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The indictment was immediately met with mockery by various attorneys, journalists and legal commentators. New York Times Justice Department correspondent Glenn Thrush observed that one of the allegations against Lemon "is that he and [a] protester -- 2 people -- 'largely surrounded' the pastor, and then Lemon asked the pastor 'questions.'" Washington D.C. based attorney John Aravosis wrote on social media that the indictment "basically accuses [Lemon] of journalism."
"He asked the pastor and congregants questions. Yeah, that’s literally journalism," Aravosis wrote. "There’s no proof, or even substantive allegation, of Lemon partaking in any conspiracy. They’re claiming that his presence is proof that he conspired with them. And that’s not true. It’s proof of journalism."
"If this is the case against Don Lemon, it's about as weak as it gets," tweeted criminal defense attorney Scott Greenfield.
"[A]s far as I can tell, the 'crime' that Lemon is being charged with is knowing that this group was about to go protest and not telling anyone on his livestream where they were going?" Attorney Randy Herman asked his Bluesky followers.
"I give it eight weeks for the indictment of Don Lemon to be thrown out," attorney Bradley P. Moss wrote on Bluesky.
"This is one of the shakiest indictments ever," podcaster Vince Wilson wrote on X. "All I see from this is a journalist doing what journalists do."
The indictment of journalist Don Lemon was recently unsealed, and many legal experts are largely in agreement that the charging document is flimsy at best.
On Friday, CNN host Jake Tapper posted the unsealed 12-page indictment of his former colleague to his official X account. Lemon has been charged with one count of conspiracy against right of religious freedom at place of worship and one count of impeding access to the exercise of religious freedom at a place of worship. The charges stem from Lemon documenting a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota where one of the pastors is reportedly in a leadership position within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The indictment was immediately met with mockery by various attorneys, journalists and legal commentators. New York Times Justice Department correspondent Glenn Thrush observed that one of the allegations against Lemon "is that he and [a] protester -- 2 people -- 'largely surrounded' the pastor, and then Lemon asked the pastor 'questions.'" Washington D.C. based attorney John Aravosis wrote on social media that the indictment "basically accuses [Lemon] of journalism."
"He asked the pastor and congregants questions. Yeah, that’s literally journalism," Aravosis wrote. "There’s no proof, or even substantive allegation, of Lemon partaking in any conspiracy. They’re claiming that his presence is proof that he conspired with them. And that’s not true. It’s proof of journalism."
"If this is the case against Don Lemon, it's about as weak as it gets," tweeted criminal defense attorney Scott Greenfield.
"[A]s far as I can tell, the 'crime' that Lemon is being charged with is knowing that this group was about to go protest and not telling anyone on his livestream where they were going?" Attorney Randy Herman asked his Bluesky followers.
"I give it eight weeks for the indictment of Don Lemon to be thrown out," attorney Bradley P. Moss wrote on Bluesky.
"This is one of the shakiest indictments ever," podcaster Vince Wilson wrote on X. "All I see from this is a journalist doing what journalists do."
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