When it comes to the arrest and charges against former CNN Host Don Lemon, for his role in the invasion of a Church in St. Paul, Minnesota last month, it appears that some in the liberal media are not only willing to support his claims that he was there as a "journalist", but they are willing to leave out some important information during their reporting. As pointed out by our colleague Alex Christy, ABC and CBS are guilty of doing it, and they are not alone.
Friday night on CNN's NewsNight With Abby Phillip, the host incorrectly claimed that Lemon was not named in a part of the indictment where he was in fact included, and she wound up being corrected by panelist and New York Post correspondent Lydia Moynihan. Phillip opened the show by claiming, "Freedom of the press is under siege after the arrests of Independent Journalists, former CNN anchor Don Lemon and Georgia Fort for their coverage of an anti-ICE protest that erupted and interrupted a Church service in St. Paul, Minnesota."
Phillip soon played part of Lemon's interview with Pastor David Easterwood, who described what was happening as, "unacceptable and shameful," and at one point said he needed to go and "take care of my flock." But Lemon continued and eventually accused the pastor of "pushing" him, although it does not appear that way on the video. Phillip then read from the indictment.
PHILLIP: So, that was described in the indictment as Lemon and Fort approaching the pastor and largely surrounding him. They stood in close proximity to the pastor in an attempt to oppress and intimidate him and physically obstructed his freedom of movement while Lemon peppered him with questions to promote the operation's message.
Phillip disagreed with that description, claiming Lemon lecturing about the Constitution was an "interview," and then Moynihan weighed in and they went at it.
MOYNIHAN: ..The question is, is he (Lemon) a protester or a journalist? And the indictment obviously suggested that he posted himself at the main door, he prevented people from exiting...
PHILLIP INTERUPTS: No, no it does not say that.
MOYNIHAN: The indictment says that.
PHILLIP: It says that protesters did that. It names the other people. It did not say that Don did that.
It would take almost 17 minutes for Moynihan to prove that Phillip was wrong in her assertion that Lemon was not named, and it came following Phillip's theory that Lemon was targeted.
PHILLIP: Even if you don't agree that there's race as an underlying factor here, it does seem very clear that the Trump administration, Lydia, views this as a slam dunk because Don in particular, can be polarizing. And I think they feel like it's an easy way for them to chip away at the media.. Why is it suddenly okay just because it's Don Lemon, just because it's Georgia Fort, that Trump is trying to criminalize the exercise of the free press, the actual reporting that they were doing on the ground
MOYNIHAN: Well, also I just want to respond because you accused me of mischaracterizing the indictment. This is actually a quote from the indictment that, 'Lemon posted himself at the main door of the Church where he confronted some congregants and physically obstructed them as they tried to exit, challenging them with facts about U.S. immigration policy. So, that is what the indictment says...
So how did Phillip react to being wrong? She sighed and then punted.
PHILLIP: They also characterized him as intimidating a Pastor who he was calmly interviewing. So, I think we also have to, the characterization of him conducting journalism is also something to be questioned.
No apology to Moynihan or her viewers for providing false information earlier in the show at Moynihan's expense, only more of the "support Don Lemon" narrative, which we can count on being force fed to us until this case is adjudicated.
