A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota has blocked the Justice Department’s attempt to bring charges against former CNN host Don Lemon for his coverage of an anti-ICE protest in St. Paul last weekend, CBS News and CNN reported Thursday.
“The Attorney General is enraged at the magistrate judge’s decision,” a person familiar with the matter told both outlets.
A lawyer for Lemon, who currently works as an independent journalist, praised the news of the judge’s decision.
“The magistrate’s reported actions confirm the nature of Don’s First Amendment protected work this weekend in Minnesota as a reporter,” his attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement. “It was no different than what he has done for more than 30 years, reporting and covering newsworthy events on the ground and engaging in constitutionally protected activity as a journalist.”
Lemon, he added, is prepared to dispute any charges that come his way.
