• The View cohosts defended former CNN journalist Don Lemon after his arrest.
• Lemon was taken into custody after a grand jury indicted him on federal prices associated to his protection of a Minnesota protest.
• "Don Lemon just isn’t going to play useless," Ana Navarro mentioned.

The View cohosts have rallied collectively to help one among their very own, because the media personalities got here to the protection of former CNN anchor Don Lemon amid the on-air broadcaster's latest arrest over allegations that he broke federal regulation whereas reporting on an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota.

Days after Lemon, 59, and three different journalists have been taken into custody Thursday night time after reporting from inside a Minnesota church whose pastor can also be an immigration officer, moderator Whoopi Goldberg and panelists Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin defended Lemon on the prime of Monday's View broadcast.

"That is after they'd gone to 3 totally different courts attempting to get judges to log out, and the judges in all three beforehand instances mentioned to the DOJ, get the hell out of my courtroom, you clowns, there isn’t any case right here," Navarro mentioned, referencing a federal Justice of the Peace choose's latest blocking of the Justice Division's try to cost Lemon over the matter.

She continued, alleging that authorities officers solely "launched the information at the very same time they launched the Epstein paperwork" in a transfer that was, as she felt, "about gaslighting, this was about going towards Don Lemon and different journalists," she mentioned. Navarro additionally identified that the 4 individuals arrested all "occur to be Black."

"I feel it's to ship a chilling message to anyone who's masking information. For some motive, nicely, I do know the rationale, this administration is afraid of individuals seeing the reality and being knowledgeable, and I feel they picked on the fallacious man," the Republican cohost expressed. "Don Lemon just isn’t going to play useless. Don Lemon has the wherewithal, has the construction, has the workforce, has the braveness, and has the cash to struggle this administration, and he's going to take it so far as it goes."

Hostin, a journalist and former federal prosecutor, additionally defended Lemon, telling the viewers "he could have his day in courtroom" and that she thinks "this case might be thrown out" as a result of it "doesn't have any benefit," in her opinion.

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She later clarified that Lemon is one among her "dearest mates," and that she "felt horrible" watching information of his arrest.

"I've been with Don in Ferguson, I've been with Don on the bottom in South Carolina, Don is a journalist, he's an on-the-ground journalist," Hostin mentioned. "He's been pepper-sprayed, he's been tear-gassed. He was getting the story, and nothing ought to've gotten in the best way of that."

Hostin mentioned she felt that "that is about scaring different journalists in order that different journalists is not going to cowl" the Donald Trump administration.

Griffin, who beforehand labored for Trump throughout his first time period in workplace, additionally pointed to what she referred to as hypocrisy amongst these in energy, whom she mentioned have criticized Lemon for being an activist and never a journalist of their view.

Nevertheless, Griffin famous that they've "put in activists" like Matt Gaetz inside White Home and Pentagon briefing rooms.

"If Matt Gaetz is a journalist, Don Lemon is certainly a journalist. You undermine your personal level," Griffin mentioned.

Goldberg closed the phase by turning towards The View's in-studio viewers to problem a sobering warning: "You see what's taking place. You understand what's taking place. If it's taking place like this for somebody who’s out and clearly doing his job, what do you suppose will occur to us?"

Earlier within the broadcast, The View performed a portion of a speech Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023 and now works as an unbiased journalist, gave after his arrest.

"Final night time, the DOJ despatched a workforce of federal brokers to arrest me in the course of the night time for one thing I've been doing for the final 30 years, and that’s masking the information," he mentioned from a podium. "The First Modification of the structure protects that work for me and for numerous different journalists who do what I do. I stand with all of them, and I can’t be silenced. I look ahead to my day in courtroom."

When reached for touch upon Friday, Abbe Lowell, Lemon's legal professional, mentioned that the previous CNN reporter supposed to struggle the fees after a grand jury indicted him on prices of conspiracy and interference with First Modification rights of churchgoers who attended the St. Paul's Cities Church mass Lemon coated.

"Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal brokers final night time in Los Angeles, the place he was masking the Grammy awards. Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no totally different than what he has at all times carried out," the assertion learn.
Lowell continued, “This unprecedented assault on the First Modification and clear try to distract consideration from the various crises going through this administration is not going to stand. Don will struggle these prices vigorously and totally in courtroom."

Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi launched a press release of her personal, saying in a web-based video, "Make no mistake. Underneath President Trump’s management and this administration, you have got the fitting to worship freely and safely,” and including, “And if I haven’t been clear already, should you violate that sacred proper, we’re coming after you.”
Lemon was launched on a private recognizance bond on Friday.

The View airs weekdays on ABC.

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