‘Terrifying!’ CNN’s Brian Stelter and Sara Sidner Deliver Stunning Real-Time Commentary on Arrest of Ex-Colleague Don Lemon

CNN’s Brian Stelter and Sara Sidner reacted in real-time, Friday, to the stunning breaking news that their former colleague — Don Lemon — has been arrested on charges that he violated federal law during a protest in a Minnesota Church on Jan. 18.

In an instant analysis of the breaking story on CNN News Central, Sidner — reporting on the ground from Minneapolis, where she moderated a town hall on Wednesday — asked Stelter about what she called a “stunning move” by President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice.

“This is a stunning move by the Department of Justice, going after a journalist, arresting Don Lemon,” Sidner said. “What do you see has happened here? Because a magistrate judge — just last week — told them, no, you are not going to lump him in with those who were protesting. He was there as a journalist. What could have changed, A? And B, how do you see this by the administration, what they have just done?”

Stelter — CNN’s chief media analyst — called the Lemon case “a First Amendment test with multiple dimensions.”

“The First Amendment protects the work of journalists,” Stelter said. “It also protects the right of worshippers to go to church and be able to peacefully assemble and worship and practice their faith. And the argument that we have heard from Trump officials is that that right to worship was infringed not just by the protesters who walked into that church and started chanting, but also by Don Lemon — because he and his crew members were there. Lemon has said all along that he was there not as an activist, but as a journalist. In fact, he was saying those words and repeating that out loud when he was inside the church. But he clearly knew something was taking place that day with the protesters. He told his viewers on YouTube to stay tuned because there was something about to happen. He was careful not to have his camera crew walk into the church until there was a disruption.”

Stelter went on to say that he considers this to be another example of the Trump administration pursuing retribution against someone it perceives to be an enemy.

“Think about Letitia James, think about James Comey, think about the many cases we’ve covered in the past year of Trump retribution. Don Lemon is another figure on that list. President Trump has repeatedly attacked Lemon — both when Lemon was an anchor here at CNN, but again, more recently, Trump has made no secret of his disdain for Lemon. And Lemon, of course, has been harshly critical of President Trump for many years as well. So he is a Trump foe, and this is another example of the administration targeting a Trump foe.”

He added, “Many First Amendment groups, many press freedom advocates are gonna say this has a real chill…we should be clear, committing journalism is not a crime.”

“Yes,” Sidner said, jumping in. “It is not a crime in this country. It is a crime in other countries, but not here.”

Sidner added that Lemon’s arrest will be viewed as “terrifying to a lot of journalists.” She proceeded to ask Stelter, “Do you see this as another step by the administration to scare reporters like yourself, like myself, like others, into being super careful or maybe not even being as critical of the administration?”

“Journalists will not be deterred,” Stelter said bluntly. “We have seen that time and time again in this country, more than a year now since President Trump returned to office, and the reporting continues no matter what.”

But, he added, “this idea of a chilling effect, yes, it is real. There’s been a chill in the air for the past 12 months or so when it comes to reporting in the U.S. And yet the work is still being done.”

Watch above, via CNN.

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