Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about Don Lemon’s latest debacle, and I’ve got to say, it’s a doozy. The journalist is asking a judge to dismiss an indictment related to his presence at a protest in a Minnesota church earlier this year, claiming the charges violate the First Amendment and are a result of a vindictive prosecution. I mean, you can’t blame the guy for trying, right? It’s not every day you get to claim you’re being targeted by the President himself.
I’m reading through the motion filed by Lemon’s lawyers, and they’re saying that the record is clear: Don Lemon has been a target of President Trump’s ire before the events in Minnesota. They’re citing over a dozen statements from the President and administration officials to back this up. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, look, the President doesn’t like this guy, and that’s why he’s being charged.” Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an oversimplification, but you get the idea.
Lemon’s lawyers are also arguing that the government shouldn’t be allowed to use criminal prosecutions to chill journalism that the President doesn’t like. I mean, that’s a fair point, right? We don’t want the government dictating what journalists can and can’t report on. That’s just not how it works in a free society. As they put it, “The government should not be permitted to use criminal prosecutions to chill journalism disfavored by the President.”
Now, I know some of you might be thinking, “But what about the charges against Lemon?” Well, let me tell you, he’s been charged with conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and violating the FACE Act. That’s some serious stuff. But Lemon’s pleading not guilty, and his lawyers are saying that he was just doing his job as a journalist. They claim he was at the church to document the demonstration, not to participate in it.
The prosecution is alleging that Lemon and another journalist were part of a “takeover-style attack” on the church. But Lemon’s lawyers are saying, “No way, he was just livestreaming the event on his YouTube channel.” They’re arguing that bearing witness to an event is not the same as taking part in it. That’s a pretty important distinction, if you ask me.
Lemon’s lawyers are also making the point that prosecuting journalists for doing their job would have a chilling effect on critical reporting. I mean, think about it: if journalists can’t report on events without fear of prosecution, how are we going to get the information we need? It’s a slippery slope, folks.
In conclusion, this whole thing is a bit of a mess, and I’m not sure how it’s all going to play out. But one thing’s for sure: Don Lemon’s lawyers are going to keep fighting, and we’ll just have to wait and see what the judge decides. And who knows, maybe this will all just blow over, and we can go back to our regularly scheduled programming. But until then, I’ll just be over here, sipping my coffee and enjoying the show. After all, as they say, “the show must go on,” and boy, is this one a show. 😊
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
