Don Lemon says he offered to turn himself in but was arrested to 'embarrass' him
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
The coverage leans hard on the idea that a high-profile arrest is automatically political theater, and Lemon’s retelling on late-night TV is treated like evidence. But the real question is simpler: what happened at that church, and did he cross from observing into organizing? Conservatives have no interest in “embarrassing” journalists.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Journalist Don Lemon said Monday that he offered to turn himself in days before his arrest last week, but he was instead detained by federal agents in order to “embarrass” him.Lemon appeared as the headlining guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Monday night and talked through the night of his arrest at a Beverly Hills hotel he used as a base during his coverage of the run-up to Sunday’s Grammy Awards.Lemon, an independent journalist who is a former anchor for CNN, was arrested Friday in Los Angeles County and charged with violating the rights of worshippers at a St.
Paul church on Jan. 17 after his coverage of protesters who interrupted services.Lemon told Kimmel that his lawyer reached out to federal authorities with a customary offer to have his client turn himself in, but he “never heard back ...
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The coverage leans hard on the idea that a high-profile arrest is automatically political theater, and Lemon’s retelling on late-night TV is treated like evidence. But the real question is simpler: what happened at that church, and did he cross from observing into organizing?
Conservatives have no interest in “embarrassing” journalists. We do have an interest in equal accountability when activism targets ordinary Americans trying to worship. If prosecutors can show he joined planning meetings or aided a disruption, “I’m a journalist” is not a free pass. If they cannot, the case should fail quickly and cleanly.
That is why rule of law cuts both ways. Produce the warrant, follow procedure, respect counsel, and prove the elements in court. Protecting religious liberty and public trust means neither celebrity nor politics gets to rewrite the standard.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.