A federal magistrate judge declined to sign off on charges against Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor, in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church over the weekend, according to a person familiar with the matter. Abbe Lowell, an attorney representing Lemon, said Lemon engaged in constitutionally protected activity. “The magistrate’s reported actions confirm the nature of Don’s first amendment protected work this weekend in Minnesota as a reporter. It is “extremely rare” for a magistrate judge to reject charges, said Andrew Tessman, a former federal prosecutor. “I saw him the way he walked in that church, it was terrible,” Trump said of Lemon earlier this week.

Source: CNN January 22, 2026 18:29 UTC