Critics Say Don Lemon Arrest Threatens Press Freedom (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: I'm just here photographing, I'm a journalist. The arrest of journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon is shocking on so many levels, starting with the fact that going after journalists for actions that are almost arguably always protected by the First Amendment. That's shocking, as well as the Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon labeling Don and the protesters domestic terrorists, which is arguably a violation of the D.C. Bar Code of Professional Conduct. But beyond that, the charges have already been rejected by two different judges. The Justice Department's initial arrest warrant against Don was rejected by Magistrate Judge Douglas Micco, who signed off on three other arrest warrants, but not Don's. And then the Justice Department immediately appealed it, which is very surprising. And in fact, the chief judge, the Honorable Patrick Schultz, a former clerk for Antonin Scalia at the U.S. Supreme Court and also a George W. Bush appointee, commented in a letter how surprising it was, saying that he had surveyed all of the judges, some of whom have been judges in our district for over 40 years and no one can remember the government asking a district judge to review a magistrate judge's denial of an arrest warrant. Beyond that, and more importantly, Judge Schultz looked at what the Justice Department was saying about Don and wrote Lemon and his producer, quote, were not protesters at all. Instead, they were a journalist and his producer. There is no evidence that those two engaged in any criminal behavior or conspired to do so. No evidence. And still, the Justice Department, under Pam Bondi, the attorney general, and Donald Trump, the president, still pressed on. And one wonders, are they trying to pursue justice or are they trying to pursue revenge or retribution or trying to scare journalists out of doing the important work of journalism?