A federal prosecutor who resigned citing concerns over the Trump administration’s handling of a case is now representing journalist Don Lemon, who faces charges related to his coverage of a protest in Minnesota.
Don Lemon Retained Former Federal Prosecutor
Joseph H. Thompson entered a notice of appearance Tuesday for Lemon, a former CNN anchor, in a case accusing Lemon of violating the religious freedom of worshippers following his coverage of protesters who interrupted services at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Lemon faces charges brought during the Trump administration in connection with his livestream of the protest, which targeted a pastor demonstrators alleged worked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a period of clashes between federal law enforcement and protesters amid an immigration crackdown.
Thompson recently left the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the office prosecuting Lemon, over ethical concerns regarding the Trump administration’s handling of the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, 37, who was killed by an ICE officer during a federal surge into the Minneapolis region.
Before resigning, Thompson oversaw a successful federal fraud investigation. He announced his departure from the Justice Department in a LinkedIn post Monday, stating he was launching a firm with former colleague Harry Jacobs.
“Thompson Jacobs is a boutique law firm focused on white-collar defense, international investigations, complex commercial litigation, and crisis management,” Thompson wrote. “We will also offer anti-corruption and compliance services to private and public sector entities looking to mitigate and reduce fraud, waste, and abuse.”
Lemon was covering the protest on Jan. 18. “I went there to chronicle and document and record,” he told Jimmy Kimmel last week. “There is a difference between a protester and a journalist.”
The federal government cited the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to justify the arrests of protesters present that day. The act prohibits force or intimidation against those accessing reproductive services, but also includes provisions covering houses of worship.
Harmeet Dhillon, the Trump administration’s top civil rights official, previously conceded that using the statute against protesters at a church and journalists covering them would lack historical precedent. She noted that the statute had not been used in this manner prior to her tenure.
President Donald Trump previously pardoned anti-abortion protesters prosecuted under the FACE Act, and federal prosecutors dismissed other pending cases. A Justice Department memo issued shortly after Trump’s inauguration stated FACE Act prosecutions would be permitted only in extraordinary circumstances.
A federal magistrate judge previously rejected a criminal complaint against Lemon. A source familiar with the matter described Attorney General Pam Bondi as “enraged” by the decision. The Justice Department continued to pursue the matter, and a grand jury indicted Lemon and others with conspiracy against the rights of religious freedom and interfering with the exercise of religious freedom.
Lemon was arrested in Beverly Hills, California, while covering the run-up to the Grammy Awards late last month and was released that afternoon. He told Kimmel he had offered to turn himself in but believed the arrest was an attempt to “embarrass” him.
Lemon’s arraignment and initial appearance are scheduled for Friday afternoon. Another of his lawyers has stated he plans to plead not guilty.
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