Update: Per Fox News reporter Bill Melugin: The magistrate in Minnesota who refused to sign off on an arrest warrant for Don Lemon is Douglas L. Micko and that his wife works as an Assistant Attorney General in Minnesota AG Keith Ellison’s office.
NEW: Multiple sources tell me & colleague @davidspunt that the federal magistrate in Minnesota who refused to sign off on an arrest warrant for Don Lemon is Douglas L. Micko and that his wife works as an Assistant Attorney General in Minnesota AG Keith Ellison's office.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 22, 2026
The Trump Justice Department charged Don Lemon and 7 others for storming Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
However, the magistrate judge rejected the charges against Don Lemon.
Politico reporter Josh Gerstein corrected his previous post to clarify that the judge rejected charges against Don Lemon.
According to CBS News, the Justice Department is currently looking at other avenues to charge Don Lemon.
UPDATE: I took down this post because while Lemon’s name appeared a short time ago in court records as one of eight defendants in the church protest case, I’m told a magistrate judge rejected the charge against him. The docket entry is now gone. pic.twitter.com/4UWXEIvVOM
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) January 22, 2026
BREAKING: Trump Justice Department charges journalist Don Lemon along with 7 others over church protest aimed at ICE agent
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) January 22, 2026
It was reported earlier Thursday federal a magistrate judge rejected charges against Don Lemon.
CBS News reported earlier that a federal magistrate judge rejected charges against Don Lemon:
A Minnesota federal magistrate judge refused to sign a complaint charging independent journalist Don Lemon in connection with a protest inside a church in St. Paul on Sunday, multiple sources familiar with the proceedings told CBS News.
“The attorney general is enraged at the magistrate’s decision,” said a source familiar with the matter. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been in Minnesota for two days, as the Justice Department has sought to surge prosecutorial and law enforcement resources there.
A different source stressed that the process is not over, and the Justice Department could find other avenues to charge Lemon.
On Sunday, Don Lemon livestreamed as anti-ICE protestors stormed a church in St. Paul because the pastor supposedly worked for ICE.
“This is the beginning of what’s going to happen here,” Lemon said as anti-ICE protestors shouted down the pastor and harassed parishioners.
Don Lemon admitting that he had foreknowledge that the protestors were going to enter a church and disrupt the sermon.
Lemon admitted he was embedded with BLM activist Nekima Armstrong and the group of rabid protestors.
Nekima Armstrong was arrested by the FBI on Thursday and charged with Conspiracy Against Rights, a federal crime that carries up to ten years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigators and FBI agents arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong who played a key role in orchestrating the Church Riots in St. Paul, Minnesota.
She is being charged with a federal crime under 18 USC 241.
Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States -… pic.twitter.com/O9yp4nRio1
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) January 22, 2026
