1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

The arrest of journalist Don Lemon on Thursday by federal agents represents a dangerous escalation in the use of federal law enforcement to target members of the press. Lemon, who has worked as a journalist for 30 years, was arrested in Los Angeles on charges related to covering a protest at a Minnesota church on January 18. He was documenting demonstrators who disrupted a church service, an act his attorney Abbe Lowell describes as constitutionally protected journalism. The circumstances surrounding this arrest are deeply troubling. A federal magistrate judge declined to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon last week, a decision that reportedly angered Attorney General Pam Bondi. Despite this judicial hesitation, the Department of Justice proceeded with the arrest. Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the DOJ's civil rights division, stated during an interview with Megyn Kelly that they would pursue this case to the ends of the Earth. President Trump publicly attacked Lemon during a White House press briefing, calling him a loser and lightweight. This prosecution appears designed to punish a journalist for doing his job. Lemon was covering a newsworthy event, not participating in criminal activity. The specific charges against him have not been disclosed, though three other demonstrators face charges of conspiring to interfere with civil rights. The distinction between a journalist documenting events and participants committing crimes is fundamental to press freedom. Congress has the constitutional authority and responsibility to conduct oversight of the Department of Justice and protect First Amendment rights. I urge you to immediately investigate this prosecution, demand transparency about the charges and evidence against Lemon, and consider legislation that explicitly protects journalists covering protests and civil demonstrations. The ability of the press to document dissent without fear of federal prosecution is essential to our democracy. This case demands swift congressional action.