Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene recently defended the arrest of ex-CNN host Don Lemon, who was charged following his coverage of protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that disrupted church services in Minnesota. On the show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Greene expressed her views, stating, “I don’t think that’s journalism. That’s not journalism,” implying that Lemon’s actions crossed a line.
On Friday, federal agents took Lemon into custody, accusing him of civil rights violations, including conspiracy to infringe on civil rights and interference with religious freedoms. He had livestreamed protests in which left-wing activists stormed a church in St. Paul, accusing its pastor of working with ICE.
Greene seemed to be the only one openly supporting Lemon’s arrest during the panel discussion. Maher voiced his concerns about the arrest itself, suggesting it was excessive. Greene, however, countered that Lemon had violated the FACE Act by disrupting worship services and had associated the congregants with white supremacists in later interviews, which she firmly stated was “not journalism” but rather “activism.”
Maher questioned whether such actions truly justified an arrest. Greene argued that Lemon had, in fact, participated in harassing people during church services, leading to distress among children present.
In contrast, fellow panelist Joe Scarborough defended Lemon’s reporting, expressing that it shouldn’t be labeled as offensive. He attempted to differentiate between legitimate inquiries and outright protests, adding that Lemon’s arrest seemed like a tactic by the Trump administration to intimidate journalists.
On January 19, Lemon discussed his role in the anti-ICE protests, sharing insights on a podcast about how he was perceived as a public figure being black and gay, pointing out that this made him a target for criticism among certain groups. After the protest incident, he denounced those who insulted him as “racist, bigoted homophobes.” Lemon was released from custody without bail and is due back in federal court in Minneapolis on February 9.
