Trump’s Assault on the First Amendment: DOJ Arrests Journalists Covering Federal Abuses of Power in Minnesota Arrow

Last night, Donald Trump's Department of Justice arrested two journalists - Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, and Georgia Fort, an independent journalist and vice president of the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) - who were covering protests following the killings of Alex Pretti and Renée Good by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

In response, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

"Donald Trump knows his administration has spun out of control and lost the support of the American people, but instead of changing course, he is arresting journalists who are covering the truth. Trump's own supporters are appalled by his ongoing attacks on the First Amendment, and he continues to fracture the base of support that elected him. Instead of focusing their efforts on delivering accountability and justice for the deaths of two American citizens killed at the hands of federal immigration officers, Trump is wrapped up in his campaign of revenge and retribution."

The DOJ's arrest of Lemon is unconstitutional and an attack on the First Amendment. A magistrate judge rejected their original attempt to issue an arrest warrant for Lemon, and the DOJ's subsequent appeal was rejected as well.

As Trump's DOJ arrests Lemon and others - and continues its vindictive investigations into Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey, and Renée Good's wife - it continues to slow-walk proper investigations into the federal immigration agents who killed Good and Pretti.