Media Politicize

Journalist Hires Prosecutor to Prosecute

by

Article in New York Times by Ernesto Lodonu

Headline:  “Don Lemon Hires Federal Prosecutor Who Quit Over Immigration Crackdown”

Subhead:  “Facing charges over his role at a church protest, Mr. Lemon, a journalist, retained a veteran litigator who recently resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota.”

“The federal prosecution of the journalist Don Lemon took an unlikely turn on Tuesday.

“Facing charges over his presence at a church protest challenging the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, Mr. Lemon has hired as one of his defense lawyers a veteran criminal litigator who, until just weeks ago, was helping lead the prosecutor’s office that has charged Mr. Lemon with felonies.

“Joseph H. Thompson, a former senior federal prosecutor who resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota in mid-January over the Justice Department’s handling of the immigration operation, has joined Mr. Lemon’s defense team, according to a court filing. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/us/joseph-thompson-don-lemon-minneapolis-protest.html

 

 

FCC Probes ABC Now?

by

Article in The Hill by Tara Suter, 2/8/26

Headline:  “FCC opens probe into ABC’s ‘The View’ after James Talarico interview: Reports “

“The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a probe into ABC’s “The View” after the program held an interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, according to multiple outlets.

Reuters reported Saturday that, per a source, the FCC began an investigation on whether “The View” broke rules for equal time when it comes to interviewing political candidates. . .”

“In January, the agency shook up rules, which exempted some late-night and daytime talk shows from having to give equal airtime to opposing political candidates. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5728540-equal-time-rule-fcc-the-view/

Justice Coming for Prosecutor?

by

Article in Common Dreams by Staff, 2/9/26

Headline: “FPF complaint targets prosecutor over Washington Post reporter raid”

“WASHINGTON – On Friday, Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) filed an attorney disciplinary complaint against Gordon Kromberg, the federal prosecutor who reviewed and signed the search warrant application targeting Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson.

“. . . Recently unsealed court records disclose what many suspected: The government failed to alert the court that authorized the warrant to the Privacy Protection Act of 1980, a federal law that, in most cases, forbids the use of search warrants for journalistic work product and documentary materials.

Read the full article at:

https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/fpf-complaint-targets-prosecutor-over-washington-post-reporter-raid

Snapping at the Media

by

Article in The New Republic by Greg Sargent, 2/6/26

Headline:  “Trump Press Sec Snaps at Media as Spin on Threat to Rig 2026 Goes Awry”

Subhead:  “After Trump called for Republicans to “nationalize” the midterms, Karoline Leavitt struggled to spin it away. We talked to an election law expert who explains the nightmare scenarios we should fear the most.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lost her temper with a reporter who asked if Donald Trump intends to flood polling places with ICE agents during the midterms. She called the question’silly’ and ‘hypothetical’ and ‘disingenuous,’ even though Steve Bannon, who’s influential in the White House, explicitly said this week that this will happen. This comes as Trump himself called for Republicans to ‘nationalize the voting.’ Leavitt also struggled to spin this threat from Trump, suggesting that’s not what he meant, only to have Trump undercut her by reiterating his demand soon after. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://newrepublic.com/article/206228/trump-press-sec-snaps-media-spin-threat-rig-2026-goes-awry

Rt. Wing Media Likes Coups?

by

Article in Media Matters by Zachary Pleat, 2/6/26

Headline:  “Right-wing media rally behind Trump’s efforts to trigger regime change in Cuba”

“After right-wing media pushed for and then celebrated the Trump administration’s ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and seizure of the country’s oil supplies last month, they quickly pivoted to the administration’s reported efforts to overthrow Cuba’s government, which for now primarily involves starving the island of oil. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/right-wing-media-rally-behind-trumps-efforts-trigger-regime-change-cuba

Media Smiling Time!

by


Article in Huffpost by Ed Mazza, 2/5/26

Headline:  ” ‘Truly Unhinged’: Critics Rip Trump After Uncomfortably ‘Weird Exchange’ With Reporter”

Subhead:  “Trump is facing heavy criticism over comments he made to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.”

“Collins had asked the president about justice for victims of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was once his close friend. . .”

” ‘You are the worst reporter,’ Trump fired back. ‘CNN has no ratings because of people like you. You know, she’s a young woman ― I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. I’ve known you for 10 years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face.’

“Collins tried to interject that she was asking about Epstein survivors, but Trump kept going. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-kaitlan-collins-smile-reaction_n_6982cdece4b074c50785b319?origin=top-ad-recirc

What You Report is a Crime?

by

Article in The Atlantic by The Editors, 2/2/26

Headline:  “Trump’s Relationship With the Media”

Subhead:  “Panelists joined to discuss the arrest of former CNN anchor Don Lemon, and more.”

“The former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested yesterday for covering a protest inside a church in Minnesosta. On Washington Week With The Atlantic, panelists joined to discuss what implications this may have, Donald Trump’s relationship with the media, and more.

“ ‘It’s true that Donald Trump has gone after the press’ before, Susan Glasser, a staff writer at The New Yorker, said last night. But ‘this is the first time he’s ordered the arrest of a journalist—so I do think a line has been crossed here.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/2026/01/don-lemon-arrest-washington-week/685847/

– – – – –

Article in Democracy Now! by Staff, 2/2/26

Headline: ” ‘Journalism Is Not a Crime’: Georgia Fort & Don Lemon Arrested for Covering St. Paul Church Protest”

Read the article at:

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/2/georgia_fort

Rt. Wing Media – Whistle = Assault?

by

Article in Media Matters by Payton Armstrong, 2/3/26

Headline:  “Right-wing media figures are furious at activists for using whistles during ICE activity”

Right-wing media figures are lashing out at community members in Minnesota for using whistles to alert others of federal immigration enforcement in the area, asserting that whistles should be ‘considered a violent weapon and that their use constitutes ‘interference” with immigration enforcement operations or even “assault.’

“Activists and residents have explained that whistles are ‘a way to quickly draw witnesses and cameras when enforcement activity happens in neighborhoods.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/immigration/right-wing-media-figures-are-furious-activists-using-whistles-during-ice-activity

Media Threats – Democracy Menace?

by


Article in Poynter by Tom Jones, 2/2/26

Headline:  “Opinion | This is what it looks like when a government tries to intimidate reporters”

Subhead: “The arrest of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort signals a dangerous escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against the press”

“President Donald Trump and his administration, over the past 10 years, have stooped to many low and distressing levels in their all-out assault on the media: lawsuits, threats of lawsuits, bans, funding cuts and insults.

But last week, the administration did what was previously thought of as unthinkable. It reached for an even more ominous attack. It arrested two journalists. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/trump-arrest-don-lemon-georgia-fort/

Journalists Now, Who’s Next?

by

Article in The Guardian by Theodore J. Boutrous Jr & Katie Townsend, 2/2/26

Headline:  “We are witnessing a dangerous escalation in the Trump administration’s attacks on the press and a clear threat to first amendment freedoms”

“. . .It is unprecedented for the justice department to invoke these laws to punish journalistic activity, and there is no basis for doing so that would be consistent with the first amendment. Indeed, before the indictment, a federal magistrate judge in Minnesota had refused to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/02/don-lemon-georgia-fort-arrest-first-amendment