00:00Don Lemon just went from the Grammy Awards to a federal jail cell. While Hollywood was prepping
00:04for the red carpet, federal agents were moving into a wrestling former CNN anchor in Los Angeles.
00:09But it's not just him. This morning, independent journalist Georgia Fort posted a video of agents
00:13at her door and the charge a coordinated attack on a church. But the receipts tell a much more
00:19complicated story. Don Lemon and Georgia Fort have both been arrested under the FACE Act. This is a
00:24federal statute that criminalizes the use of force, threat, or physical obstruction to prevent
00:29access to reproductive health services. But here's the forensic detail. It also covers places of
00:33religious worship. Don and Georgia weren't at a clinic. They were at a church documenting a
00:38protest. But the DOJ alleges, quote, conspiracy to deprive civil rights. For context, Georgia Fort
00:43is a three-time Emmy winner and a pillar of the Twin Cities press. And Don Lemon has 30 years in the
00:48game. But the government claims they weren't just witnesses. They were embedded participants in a
00:53criminal conspiracy. The case stems from January 18th when activists burst into the city's church
00:58in St. Paul chanting ice out and justice for Renee Good. And then this is where the details split.
01:03How do you feel about this? I don't necessarily agree with everything that's going on in the
01:07Twin Cities right now. But I don't think it's good to fight fire with fire. I think it's good to speak
01:11up. I think it's good to protest. But I think it's better to do it in a peaceful way. You don't
01:15think this is peaceful? It's trespassing. The White House and AG Pan Bondi are calling it a
01:20coordinated riot. And under federal law, a riot requires violence and public danger. But the journalists
01:26on scene say they were there to document a protest against a pastor who reportedly leads the local
01:31ice field office. And this is where the legal battle becomes fierce. I've talked to my attorney
01:36and I'm being advised to go with them, I guess down to Whipple. Legal analyst Mike Davis told Fox News
01:45that Lemon acted as a modern-day Klansman, arguing that the First Amendment isn't a shield for storming
01:50a pulpit. However, the National Press Club and a coalition of Minnesota's biggest news outlets,
01:55including the Star Tribune and NPR, are standing united. They've released a joint statement saying,
02:01quote, in America, we do not arrest journalists for doing their jobs. And here's the detail the
02:05White House isn't mentioning. The DOJ already tried to arrest Don Lemon twice this month and failed.
02:11Magistrate Judge Douglas Miko and Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz both rejected the warrants, stating there
02:16was no evidence of criminal behavior by these journalists. Yet, Pam Bondi reportedly bypassed
02:21those judges, took the case to a grand jury, and secured the arrest anyway. The framers of the
02:26Constitution knew that a free press was essential to a democracy. And while the White House takes a
02:34victory lap, posting a photo of Lemon with a chains emoji, critics are calling out the priorities.
02:40One political reporter told The Independent that this is the most hostile administration towards
02:44free speech in our lifetimes. But what do you think? Should Don Lemon and other reporters be arrested for
02:49covering protests inside buildings? Or is this an attack on the First Amendment, which explicitly
02:54protects the freedom of press? Share your thoughts and follow what's trending for more updates.
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