BREAKING UPDATE: Magistrate Judge REFUSES to Sign Complaint Bringing Charges Against Don Lemon

Gateway Pundit ^ | January 22, 2026 | Cristina Laila

[Morgana]

The Trump Justice Department charged Don Lemon and 7 others for storming Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

However, the magistrate judge rejected the charges against Don Lemon.

Politico reporter Josh Gerstein corrected his previous post to clarify that the judge rejected charges against Don Lemon.

According to CBS News, the Justice Department is currently looking at other avenues to charge Don Lemon.

BREAKING: Trump Justice Department charges journalist Don Lemon along with 7 others over church protest aimed at ICE agent

— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) January 22, 2026

It was reported earlier Thursday federal a magistrate judge rejected charges against Don Lemon.

CBS News reported earlier that a federal magistrate judge rejected charges against Don Lemon:

A Minnesota federal magistrate judge refused to sign a complaint charging independent journalist Don Lemon in connection with a protest inside a church in St. Paul on Sunday, multiple sources familiar with the proceedings told CBS News.

“The attorney general is enraged at the magistrate’s decision,” said a source familiar with the matter. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been in Minnesota for two days, as the Justice Department has sought to surge prosecutorial and law enforcement resources there.

A different source stressed that the process is not over, and the Justice Department could find other avenues to charge Lemon.

On Sunday, Don Lemon livestreamed as anti-ICE protestors stormed a church in St. Paul because the pastor supposedly worked for ICE.

“This is the beginning of what’s going to happen here,” Lemon said as anti-ICE protestors shouted down the pastor and harassed parishioners.

Don Lemon Livestreams as Anti- ICE Protestors Storm Church in St. Paul

Don Lemon admitting that he had foreknowledge that the protestors were going to enter a church and disrupt the sermon.

Lemon admitted he was embedded with BLM activist Nekima Armstrong and the group of rabid protestors.

Nekima Armstrong was arrested by the FBI on Thursday and charged with Conspiracy Against Rights, a federal crime that carries up to ten years in prison.

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TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: church; citieschurch; crime; davidtschultz; donlemon; douglaslmicko; dumblemming; elizabethcowanwright; elsambullard; johnfdocherty; judgewatch; judgeziafaruqui; kiddietablejudge; leoibrisbois; magistratejudge; mediainterference; minnesota; nekimaarmstrong; stpaul; stpaulminnesota; toadysjournalists; todaysurinalists; treasondon; treasonmedia; ziafaruqui

[Vesuvian]

I knew something like this would happen- disgraceful!

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

This has gone too far. I have been reading less news to become less enraged. Now this. THIS HAS TO STOP NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES. Period.

[TexasFreeper2009]

literally on camera doing it.

[Right Brother]

If the law fails, there is only one alternative. We are rapidly moving that way.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Commies can do whatever they want without consequences its just that simple. What Biden’s regime did before leaving office besides bringing in 40+ MILLION new Dem voters was fill this country with leftist judges who do their bidding

[ComputerGuy]

Is the judge gay?

[KobraKai]

If you’re a msm journalist, you are allowed to commit crimes

[Chgogal]

Name of the judge magistrate is needed.

[cross_bearer_02]

I’m a peaceful man. But those who make peaceful resolutions impossible make alternative actions inevitable.

[Quickgun]

That is probably a good assertion. Mud humpers protect each other.

[rxsid]

"Name of the judge magistrate is needed."

Every day I wonder what it will take to get Republicans in Washington to defund and shut down the federal courthouse in DC.

An absolutely inexcusable outburst from Mag Judge Zia Faruqui today in court.

This asshole signed HUNDREDS of arrest warrants in Jan 6 and never raised a single eyebrow about Biden DOJ abusive tactics INCLUDING the use of a corporate fraud statute overturned by SCOTUS.

So NOW he thinks there’s a constitutional crisis because Trump DOJ wanted to bring a federal charge against a CAREER CRIMINAL who threatened President Trump?

And is APOLOGIZING to Edward Dana and demanding an explanation from DOJ?

This is should result in an immediate misconduct investigation.pic.twitter.com/4WIwONxCCo— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) September 4, 2025

[iontheball]

The natural response is to take the matter up to the Federal judge who sits over the magistrate.

[butlerweave]

Find another one

[Texas Eagle]

Further proof that nobody is above the law.

[rxsid]

The (R)'s in congress must get off their knee's and rein in/defund these rouge activist "judges."

More on this in a bit because I’m still processing the outrageous accusations and threats made yesterday by Mag Judge Zia Faruqui. I just received the transcript and it’s 1,000 times worse than reported.

At one point, Faruqui—who unflinchingly signed HUNDREDS of Jan 6 warrants—is threatening not to sign any complaints brought by Trump DOJ and Jeanine Pirro specifically.https://t.co/eTtKxcFooN— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) September 5, 2025

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

“Don Lemon admitting that he had foreknowledge that the protestors were going to enter a church and disrupt the sermon.”

Lemon negotiated specific safety concessions for exclusive access to the protest.
You know, Like CNN did with Hussein.

[rxsid]

I don't think any other judge has signed more arrest warrants for Trump supporters than Zia Faruqui. Here's his signature on the warrant for Dr. Harris, the man who tried to save Ashli Babbitt's life on Jan 6 pic.twitter.com/at7nsfMcYG— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) January 29, 2023

[Chgogal]

This “judge” is reprehensible. There is now equal Justice.

[4Runner]

Here's a list of current U.S. Magistrate Judges for the District of Minnesota:

Leo I. Brisbois

David T. Schultz

Elizabeth Cowan Wright

John F. Docherty

Douglas L. Micko (Magistrate Judge)

Elsa M. Bullard (Appointed in June 2025)

Appears the news media is withholding the judge's name. It's one of the above.