Journalist Don Lemon is seeking to have federal charges against him dismissed, with his legal team arguing that the prosecution stems from a politically motivated effort to punish him for his reporting. The case involves Lemon's alleged participation in an anti-ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, in January.
Lemon's lawyers filed a motion Friday contending that the charges are part of a "broader assault on the free press" and driven by "vindictive motivations." They point to statements made by President Trump and Justice Department officials as evidence that the prosecution is an attempt to penalize Lemon for covering immigration issues that the administration wished to downplay.
"Against this background of literally years of the President’s direct attacks, Mr. Lemon landed in President Trump’s crosshairs again for reporting on a story that the administration wanted to go away: the immigration surge in Minnesota,” the filing states. It further alleges that "senior Justice Department officials expressed direct hostility to Mr. Lemon’s status as a journalist."
Lemon was charged with two counts of federal civil rights violations, including conspiracy against rights of religious freedom. He has pleaded not guilty. The Justice Department has stated that Lemon and other protesters occupied the church and that Lemon "physically obstructed" parishioners attempting to leave. The January incident occurred amid an immigration crackdown in Minnesota and the killing of Renee Good by a federal agent.
The filing cites comments from former Attorney General Pam Bondi, then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon. Lemon's attorneys claim these statements demonstrate a desire to "punish and humiliate" him.
Lawyers for Lemon also assert that the Justice Department used "extraordinary channels" in pursuing the charges, bypassing normal procedures. They state that the government ignored requests for an orderly surrender and instead opted to have agents arrest Lemon at his Los Angeles hotel. The filing characterizes this action as an "effort to punish and humiliate Mr. Lemon," noting that it mirrors a practice the current Justice Department previously condemned.
Furthermore, during the post-arrest investigation, the government reportedly sought warrants for Lemon's YouTube subscribers, a request that was rejected by a federal judge. Lemon's attorneys claim the government circumvented standard procedures by issuing an administrative warrant for his devices, allegedly because a search warrant had already been rejected by a magistrate judge.