Don Lemon Forgot About This Piece of Evidence Which Could Send Him to Jail

The transcript is from an interview on The Rubin Report between host Dave Rubin and Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the DOJ.

Dhillon discusses a case involving an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. She describes it as the "Church Cities case" (referring to Cities Church), not specifically the "Don Lemon case," though Don Lemon is one of the indicted individuals.

The charges stem from violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994, which protects abortion clinics and houses of worship from obstruction, intimidation, or interference with religious exercise. The FACE Act provision for houses of worship had been dormant for over 30 years until recent DOJ use under the current administration, following a prior case involving a synagogue.

Dhillon explains that a FACE Act violation starts as a misdemeanor but can escalate. Combined with conspiracy under the Ku Klux Klan Act (18 U.S.C. § 241, from Reconstruction era, prohibiting conspiracies to violate civil rights), it becomes a felony.

She states that nine people have been indicted so far by a grand jury. All allegedly went inside the church, obstructed, harassed, intimidated, and frightened worshippers; people were injured in the melee; and they planned it in advance. Evidence includes Don Lemon's livestream video showing him bringing donuts and coffee, using "we" language about entering and actions inside, turning off his microphone to conceal discussions, and blocking someone while mic-ing them.

The protest involved a two-stage approach: initial "decoys" (white allies) sitting as parishioners, followed by primary protesters who disrupted over 400 people, causing panic, rushes to exits, slips on ice, blocked access to children in Sunday school, and fear among attendees including Pastor Jonathan Parnell's family.

Dhillon argues no First Amendment protections apply for such actions on private property without permits, as time/place/manner restrictions exist, and protests cannot obstruct worship. She rejects journalist claims as a "magic shield," comparing hypotheticals like neo-Nazis in synagogues or anti-Islam groups in mosques, and notes prior administrations prosecuted journalists under similar laws.

She addresses optics of potential martyrdom but emphasizes zero-tolerance for disruptions in houses of worship to prevent fear-driven retreats from religious practice.

Broader discussion covers uneven protest enforcement in blue cities (e.g., BLM vs. conservative events during COVID), DOJ priorities including Second Amendment enforcement, voting integrity (suing states, supporting voter ID, cleaning rolls), anti-Semitism investigations, disabled rights (e.g., Uber case), service member protections, and eliminating DEI in public hiring/education with follow-up monitoring to prevent rebranding or backsliding.

Dhillon describes challenges reforming DOJ after decades of perceived deep state issues, staff turnover, media attacks, and judicial inconsistencies, while focusing on equal law application.

Transcript Summary

On January 18, 2026, protesters disrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, during an anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) demonstration. The protest targeted the church because one of its pastors is an ICE official. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, now working as an independent journalist, was present, livestreaming and interviewing participants, including congregants and the pastor.

Lemon was arrested on January 29/30, 2026, along with others (including journalist Georgia Fort and activists), on federal charges related to conspiracy to interfere with religious freedom and violating rights under the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, applied here to places of worship). He was released without bond after initial court hearings and has stated he was there solely as a journalist to document events, denying participation in planning or disruption. He has vowed to fight the charges and appeared on shows like Jimmy Kimmel to defend his actions.

On or around February 2, 2026, Jerome Deangelo Richardson (also reported as Jerome Richardson), a 21-year-old Temple University political science senior and St. Paul native, turned himself in to federal authorities in Philadelphia on related charges (conspiracy to interfere with religious worship/rights). Court documents and reports indicate Richardson assisted Lemon with logistics, local contacts, and context in the days leading up to the protest while Lemon covered events in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Prosecutors have cited this assistance as evidence undercutting Lemon's claim of purely incidental or passive journalistic involvement, suggesting deeper coordination. Some sources describe Richardson's role as providing support for Lemon's reporting coverage. Richardson faces the same or similar charges as others in the indictment (now involving nine or more people total).

Lemon's post-event comments (as quoted in the query) included criticism of the church group's form of Christianity and claims that backlash against him stemmed from his identity as a gay Black man in America.

No reports confirm that Richardson has "flipped" on Lemon, admitted Lemon planned the event, or entered a plea deal implicating Lemon in premeditated planning beyond the reported logistical assistance for coverage. The case remains ongoing, with Lemon maintaining his journalistic defense.

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