The Megyn Kelly Show | Ep. 1242 — Don Lemon ARRESTED Under Klan and FACE Acts

Date: January 30, 2026
Host: Megyn Kelly
Guests: Mike Davis, Bill Shipley, Michael Knowles, Howard Blum

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the breaking news of former CNN host Don Lemon's arrest following his participation in the ICE protest-turned-interruption at City’s Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The discussion explores the legal charges against Lemon, including violations of the Ku Klux Klan Act and the federal FACE Act, as well as the wider implications for journalists, religious freedoms, and political protest. Additional segments cover reactions from different sides, the handling of the legal process, and a later discussion on new developments in the Idaho student murders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Don Lemon’s Arrest: Charges and Context

• Incident Summary: Lemon was arrested for entering a church during service as part of a disruptive protest targeting ICE, allegedly collaborating with protest leaders and interfering with worshippers’ rights.
• Federal Charges: He faces charges under two statutes:
  • Ku Klux Klan Act (Conspiracy Against Rights): Preventing citizens from exercising civil rights, here interfering with the right to worship (00:21).
  • FACE Act: Criminalizes intentional injury, intimidation, or interference with lawful exercise of religious freedom at places of worship (00:21-01:30).
• Key Details About the Event: Lemon and others allegedly blocked entrances/exits, escalated confrontation with parishioners, and were aware of the distress caused (03:50, 06:49, 15:15).

“He made the colossal blunder of doing it into a house of worship in the middle of a religious service…now you’re talking about rock solid rights that the churchgoers have under the Constitution and under federal statutes not to be bothered while they’re worshiping.”
— Megyn Kelly (10:37)

2. Journalism as a Legal Defense?

• Not a Protection: Multiple panelists vehemently rejected the claim that Lemon was acting as a passive journalist, arguing he was an active, knowing participant (09:40–11:00, 26:54, 29:03, 46:49).
• Lemon’s own livestream and statements from the day revealed prior knowledge, participation in planning, and a focus on self-promotion for YouTube rather than objective reporting.

“Journalists do not have the First Amendment right to violate federal law. That is exactly what Don Lemon and his co-conspirators did here.”
— Mike Davis (26:54)

“Don Lemon’s not there as a member of the press…he was capturing what they did for their benefit.”
— Bill Shipley (38:50)

• Host’s Anecdotes: Kelly shares examples from her career showing journalistic privilege does not extend to trespass or criminal conduct (09:30–11:00).

3. The Events Inside the Church

• Multiple audio and video clips discussed on-air showed Lemon interacting as an embedded participant, seeking “raw, unscripted” content, directly confronting parishioners and the pastor, and actively encouraging subscriptions and engagement for his online brand (14:03, 16:18, 18:14, 22:16, 23:08).

“He fully intended to walk in there, to walk down the aisle, to interrupt the church service in progress. You fully knew. You 100% knew. The payoff to you was different from the payoff to Nakima. Doesn’t make your behavior any more lawful.”
— Megyn Kelly (17:15)

• Terrorizing Effects: Affidavits and victim statements cited weeping children, injuries, and deep trauma to those present (06:49–07:20).

4. Prosecutorial and Judicial Handling

• The indictment was initially delayed by a magistrate perceived as conflicted; prosecutors eventually succeeded in bringing the case before a grand jury, which swiftly found probable cause (02:40–05:00, 46:49–49:00).

5. Panel Analysis: Legal, Political, and Cultural Implications

Legal Takeaways

• Grand Jury: The panel clarifies the procedural legitimacy and the strengthened case against Lemon after additional evidence and witnesses.
• Double Standard Debate: Echoed concern over whether FACE Act violations are equitably prosecuted across political divides (28:19, 34:20).
• First Amendment Boundaries: Discussion that press freedom does not constitute immunity from criminal law, especially in protected spaces like churches (29:03, 55:21, 64:17).

Political/Cultural Framing

• Accusations and Defenses: Outcry from left-wing/Journos arguing the charges are an attack on the press/Narrative of Lemon as a political target because he is “a gay black man” and a critic of Trump (44:54, 81:04).
• Rebuttal: Panelists and Kelly repeatedly argue the facts and law are on the prosecution’s side, not politics.

“You cannot use free speech as a justification to commit additional crimes. You cannot claim that your status as a journalist…gives you some kind of blanket immunity to break the law.”
— Michael Knowles (64:17)

• Potential Precedent: Concerns aired regarding journalistic exceptions and what this case might signal for future law enforcement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Don Lemon, on livestream as events unfold:
  “This is an operation that is secret… You’re going to watch it live unfold here on the Don Lemon Show. There’s a reason they have so many white people here… because of the operation that they’re doing today.” (14:03)
• Megyn Kelly, critiquing Lemon’s defense:
  “I mean, in all my years covering the Westboro Baptist Church or Code Pink or the Women’s March, I never joined… Never. I never served coffee, donuts. I never said good when they were telling me about their plans. Never. I never gave them any assistance or aid whatsoever because that would be crossing an ethical line for a journalist.” (60:03)
• Don Lemon, inside the church, justifying disruption:
  “It’s uncomfortable and traumatic for the people here, but again… that’s what protesting is about. And so…” (23:47)
• Debate over Lemon’s intent and the scope of protest:
  “He didn’t just stumble onto this news story. He rode up there with the criminals, with the mob. He knew what they were going to do ahead of time.”
  — Michael Knowles (58:45)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Don Lemon’s Arrest, Charges & Context: 00:21 – 06:49
• Clips from the Protest & Analysis: 06:49 – 24:12
• Panel Enters: Mike Davis & Bill Shipley, Legal Analysis: 26:54 – 49:00
• Michael Knowles Reacts / Broader Implications for Press & Law: 52:11 – 70:09
• Debate about Minneapolis/ICE Sanctuary City Politics: 87:18 – 93:17
• Howard Blum Discusses Idaho Murders & Theory of Accomplice: 96:27 – 120:19

Additional Highlights

Defense & Reaction from the Left

• Multiple journalists, media figures, and activists declared Lemon’s arrest an assault on the First Amendment and the free press, accusations the panel dismissed (62:48, 81:04).

“Here we are, black women, nonviolent, our only weapons are voices, being treated like Hannibal Lecter… Tell me, where is the justice in that?”
— Nakima Levy Armstrong (arrested protest leader) (78:28)

• Panel & Host Response:
  There’s no “journalist exception” to the FACE Act, and Lemon is neither a passive observer nor being targeted for his identity or ideology.

Parallels with Other Prosecutions

• Discussion of how the FACE Act was previously used to arrest pro-life activists at abortion clinics. If those prosecutions are legitimate, so is this, say Kelly and Davis (28:19, 54:33, 70:09).

Ethical Journalism

• Kelly draws distinction between “bearing witness” to illegal activity from a legal distance, versus direct participation, drawing on personal experiences (10:05 – 11:00, 60:03).

Brief Outline of Later Segments

Howard Blum: Idaho Student Murders Update (96:27–120:19)

• Blum posits the newly settled case against Bryan Kohlberger may obscure the existence of a second perpetrator, based on evidence and the pace/intensity of the crime.
• Discusses crime scene photos, questions about forensics (number of wounds, cleaning up, timeline), and newly surfaced defense expert testimony.
• Reference to new DNA evidence, police reluctance to probe further, and gaps in the prosecution’s case.

Overall Tone & Presentation

• Direct, Combative, and Unfiltered: Kelly and her panelists take an unequivocal, at times caustic stance, criticizing both Lemon and his defenders, while emphasizing strict legal and ethical boundaries.
• Legal Authority: Guests like Davis and Shipley cite statutes, prior DOJ actions, and case law extensively to ground arguments.
• Cultural Commentary: Frequent references to politics, identity, and media behavior, with a focus on double-standards and the “weaponization” of press freedom or protest rights as shields for criminal acts.
• In-the-Weeds Legal and Crisis Reporting: The episode is both a rundown of timely breaking news and a wider commentary on the interplay of law, journalism, and American civil life.

Concluding Takeaway

The episode presents Don Lemon’s arrest not as a First Amendment crisis but as lawful and overdue accountability for clear, voluntary criminal conduct — regardless of his media status or political views. The discussion repeatedly emphasizes: no one, including journalists, is above the law, and the facts captured on video remove ambiguity from the case as it goes forward.

For full context and verbatim quotes, listeners are advised to review the relevant segments as timestamped above.