BIll and Bell have gone missing.

Jack Smith would have proceeded because there was "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" to support criminal charges. But that's just not the way the ball (R)olls in T(R)umpworld.

1/22/2026: A federal magistrate judge rejected the Justice Department's initial attempt to bring charges against journalist Don Lemon for appearing alongside protesters...

Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko said prosecutors had failed to present evidence to justify the arrests.

1/24/2026: A federal appeals court brushed back a secretive, emergency effort by the Justice Department to revive rejected arrest warrants for Don Lemon and four other people...

Minnesota's chief district judge Patrick Schiltz refused DOJ's request to take immediate action to arrest Lemon. "Federal prosecutors raced to the 8th Circuit, asking the court to issue a rarely used "writ of mandamus" to force Schiltz to grant the government's request "

Late Friday, a three-judge panel of the appeals court rejected the Trump administration's demand. The panel included Obama appointee Jane Kelly and two Trump appointees, Steven Grasz and Jonathan Kobes.

DOJ could not abide by all these decisions, so they tried a fourth time by convening a grand jury, finally getting what they desperately needed to go after Lemon.

How utterly transparent, vindictive, and outrageous. A level of weaponization never seen before. Exacty what we all expected with the false cries and accusations about "weaponization" from the Got Only Projection party.

YAV- He thinks O'Keefe is a journalist FFS.

It's a problem with this society in general these days - including the current pResident.

Sentinel - serious question - can you hear how utterly wrong Lemon did something stupid that he deserves to be prosecuted for sounds? How the very premise of it is horrifically wrong?

Yes, but so far prosecuting someone for doing something you think is stupid is not illegal.
The original judge, a republican, destroyed DOJ for even trying to charge Lemon.
Lemon broke no laws.

Unless you want to buy into the bullshht "charges" from the weaponized Trump DOJ we don't prosecute people that don't violate the law. That's not even the point of charging Lemon.

Hey BillJohnson?
Still think you know more about all this than anyone else on this board?
We're all waiting for you to elucidate us.
Don't be shy!

It looks like he's trying to construct a reductio ad absurdum argument, and it's backfiring on him just like it does when most people on this site attempt to do that.

He's been doing that for a couple of days now. He's asked me if right-wing influencers with only a high-school diploma are journalists just like Lemon because both of them are "independent." It's absolutely ridiculous.

I was an independent consultant (engineering) for years, but very few people can do what I can do, and yes, it requires a specific degree and specific training and years of experience.

It's why I said he'll grant anyone the "title" of "journalist" as long as they tell him what he wants to hear.

I've been consistent. I've stated it consistently. Read #8, #30, #50, #133. I even spelled out why Baker was guilty and what he was guilty of - violating the law. I even posted "I believe we all know that journalists can't violate the law. I already said that. That's the fundamental problem with using the FACE Act against Lemon."

Putting a music teacher and wannabe a rightwing media personality in the same cateogory a nationally known journalist who used to work for CNN in the same category is ludicrous, and you know it. I'd say nice try, but really it's just lame:

Well said, Gal. Exactly right.

That's the fundamental problem with using the FACE Act against Lemon.
Meaning Lemon did not violate the FACE Act, so that part of the case is ridiculous.

Sentinel asks A bigger question is what exactly did Lemon achieve by going in with the criminals that couldn't have been done without disrupting a religious service? Couldn't they have confronted the pastor when he was walking on the street or somewhere else?

He reported on what was happening. We all need reporters and journalists to do that. He didn't disturb the service but interviewed people who were at the service. I thought the interviews were quite good and got at how those parishioners felt with the interruption/demonstration. I said at the time I wished this hadn't happened at a church.

I wish the right-wing nutters hadn't assassinated those they targeted in the middle of church services, too.

Petrous - what's your point?
I believe we all know that journalists can't violate the law. I already said that. That's the fundamental problem with using the FACE Act against Lemon.

Re: Baker..
Throwing in nebulous "others" and trying to one charge "trespass" is the same as what Baker pleaded guilt to "Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building" appears to be a deliberate attempt at conflation.

" A citizen journalist maybe:"

Which is what Lemon is at the moment. He doesn't work for any news outlet.

So dishonest, even after it's been spelled out. You call anyone a journalist if they feed your confirmation bias. That's a fundamental problem.

If you're going to demand that J6 rioters be held responsible for any federal laws they knowingly violated (and you should), then you can't hold others to a different standard just because it's a different law they may have broken.

I didn't do that, though. Check your premise.

Baker pleaded guilty to:
Unlawful entry of a restricted building or grounds.
Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.
Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

Not what Lemon did. How that for a comparison?

Should/could Baker have fought it and come out as "not guilty"? Who knows. He didn't so we're left with what he was convicted of. He's been pardoned by the biggest criminal ever elected to the Presidency, though. The one who instigated the J6 insurrection.

Where'd BillJohnson go? Isn't he going to elucidate us all? Fill in all the information we're supposedly missing?

Where do you draw the line? If a group of protesters decide to rob a bank, should a reporter just tag along, or should they take a step back once they realize something illegal is going on? How about if they're storming a restricted government area?

The journalist should legally report on what's happening, gather information, film (based on law - such as non-interference with first responders, etc.), and should be immune from prosecution and retribution. Like those covering the murder of Pretti and Good.

Unless Lemon conspired or aided and abetted he should not have been charged or spent a night in jail. Plain and simple.

Why this is vindictive, has nothing to do with Lemon's coverage of this protest:
1) Initial attempts to charge Lemon were rejected twice.
2) DOJ convened a grand jury because they couldn't arrest Lemon otherwise.
3) DOJ already pre-announced they wanted to get Lemon for anything they could and made it clear enough that his attorney, Abbe Lowell, sent a letter to DOJ saying if they intend to take Lemon in then they should contact the attorney and he will make sure it's all handled peacefully and orderly. DOJ refused to answer and obviously didn't want that. They wanted a show.
4) DOJ waited until the Grammy's and his arrival in Los Angeles
5) DOJ waited until 11 PM at night to force him to spend the night in jail (no judge until the morning)
6) DOJ sent an armada after him with masks and guns - to serve a warrant which ONE person could do.
7) Both Lemon and Georgia Fort are black journalists.
8) With the message sent to all journalists, especially ones of color, Lemon was released from jail on his own recognizance. Despite DOJ demanding restrictions on his travel and activities his planned trip to France is allowed.
9) Georgia Fort was similarly released, as were the other two.
11) All were persons were black.
12) Pam Blondi was out there immediately crowing about how this was a "coordinated attack" - Ms. Bondi has zero credibility.

Nothing you paid any attention to, I'm sure.

You gonna post what he did that violates the FACE Act or give us your
"Don't care to convince you.
And it's not because I'm lying.
Just simply you aren't important."

bullshht?

#91 - you're ignorant and a liar, BillJohnson. Or you're ignorant and stupid. Two judges threw this out before DOJ in a vindictive prosecution went around both the judges and convened a grand jury so they could do this. This isn't going to get any conviction. There is no violation of FACE.

This was done 100% to intimidate all journalists. All you have to do is look at the timeline and failures of the DOJ.

I'm serious - how can you be this dumb? How can you ignore reality so completely?

DJT never lied to anyone.
LMAO! Oh my GAWD! NOOO! This was not seriously posted! NO! ROFLMAO! BWHAHAHAH! {snort} {chortle} AHHH! YOU did NOT post that! BWHAHAAHA! My sides hurt! DAAAAYYUUM!

Don't care to convince you.

I'm calling your bluff
You ain't principled, you just performin'
One fact and you run to the fence
You're hollerin' loud
But it's talking points you been borrowin'
And all that you need is
Just a shred of good sense

lefties like to assert that independent or citizen journalists aren't "real" journalists. That's exactly what Lemon is right now.

Your entire post with that in it is total garbage from one end to the other, however I'm going to smack you with your own stupid stick for that quote. As I laid out in response to your "question" on the "Federal Agents Arrest Don Lemon" thread:

Question: do you regard James O'Keefe and Nick Shirley as journalists? - Bellringer

Yav's response: Lemon has a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

Jame O'Keefe does not. He has a degree in philosophy. He went to law school for a year and dropped out.
Nick Shirley (who I know nothing about) appears to have no degree in journalism. He has no degree at all, except from high school.

I do not consider either O'Keefe or Shirley, nor have I ever considered O'Keefe, journalists.

There is no doubt Don Lemon is a journalist.

I can tell you there is oftentimes important news stories on Fox I never see elsewhere.

so "Important" it preempts actual factual and relevant news.

Prosecutors argue that FACE laws were violated.

That's Lemon's mistake.

Thanks for giving us all an example of fccked up your reasoning is, and your trusted sources are.
I understand well in advance how you are clueless about what I just said.