Don Lemon Enlists Former Justice Department Prosecutor Amid Controversy

In an unexpected move, Don Lemon has turned to Joe Thompson, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, for legal representation as he faces serious charges related to a protest at a Minnesota church. Thompson, who recently resigned from the Justice Department's Minneapolis office, informed a judge of his new role on Tuesday.

Lemon is currently dealing with allegations stemming from a protest that disrupted a church service, where he is charged with conspiracy against religious freedom and interference with the exercise of religious freedom. He is also represented by prominent attorney Abbe Lowell, known for his high-profile cases.

Thompson's background is notable; he served over ten years as a prosecutor and briefly held the position of acting U.S. Attorney in Minnesota last year. His recent work included leading significant fraud prosecutions that implicated over 90 individuals in schemes that reportedly cost Minnesota's public assistance programs around $9 billion, drawing attention from the Trump administration.

However, Thompson's resignation from the U.S. Attorney's office last month was part of a broader wave of departures, reportedly linked to concerns regarding an investigation into the widow of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot by an ICE agent. Attempts to contact Thompson for further comment have not yielded any responses.

Lemon's indictment came after he participated in a demonstration at a St. Paul church, which was ignited by revelations that one of the pastors was affiliated with ICE. The former CNN anchor maintains that he was merely covering the event as a journalist and had no direct involvement with the protesters.

Following Lemon's arrest in Los Angeles late last month, Lowell issued a statement emphasizing Lemon's long-standing career in journalism: "Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done... The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable."

The Justice Department encountered initial hurdles in pursuing charges against Lemon when a Minnesota magistrate judge declined to sign off on a complaint related to the protest. Subsequently, a grand jury indicted Lemon and others, leading to his arrest by federal law enforcement. He was released on his own recognizance without needing to post bond.