Episode Overview

Podcast: Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words
Host: Jack Fowler (with guest Scott Johnson, Powerline Blog founder)
Date: February 3, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode features Scott Johnson discussing activist journalism (with a focus on Don Lemon’s recent indictment and Dan Rather’s legacy), corruption and political dysfunction in Minnesota’s Democratic leadership, the pervasive Somali fraud case, and the origins and mission of the Powerline Blog—all viewed through the lens of current events and historical continuity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Don Lemon’s Indictment and Activist Journalism

• Don Lemon at City's Church Incident

  • Don Lemon was indicted after disrupting a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on video, raising questions of journalistic immunity.
  • Johnson criticizes the narrative that Lemon’s actions were First Amendment-protected journalism:

    “There’s a famous constitutional test in the First Amendment... Don Lemon wants a new one. Someone who claims to be doing what he’s doing as a journalist is somehow immune from the laws that govern the rest of us.” — Scott Johnson [06:46]

  • Lemon, along with eight others (including a former law professor), faces charges for interference with civil rights, particularly the First Amendment rights of worshippers.

• Wider Pattern in Journalism

  • Johnson relates Lemon's case to past examples where journalists claim immunity, referencing James Risen and the New York Times’ exposure of national security programs.
  • Cites Senator Tom Cotton’s open letter to the New York Times in response to such disclosures, emphasizing accountability:

    “It’s a subject I’ve been writing about for a long time… I don’t think Don Lemon has any claim to immunity.” — Scott Johnson [10:52]

2. The Dan Rather (Rathergate) Legacy

• Johnson’s Role in Rathergate
  • Details his efforts in exposing 60 Minutes’ use of forged documents to discredit President Bush in 2004.
  • Describes the rapid response and community collaboration through Powerline:

    “If you were following along with our updates online on Powerline, you could see it was all over by about 11:30… we got information from people all over the country on the things that were wrong with the documents…” — Scott Johnson [13:34]

  • Despite the exposure, Dan Rather retains credibility and legacy in some circles, which Johnson finds emblematic of the left’s inability to admit wrongdoing:

    “The left never gives up. In some respects, survival is the name of the game. And here we are, nearly 22 years after Rathergate, and he’s still kicking and people are still looking to him for guidance.” — Scott Johnson [12:36]

  • Compares Rather to Alger Hiss as a symbol of persistent reputational survival.

3. Assessing Minnesota's Democratic Leadership

• A “Parade of Horribles”
  • Johnson offers pointed critiques of Minnesota's current Democratic leaders, emphasizing how far the state has shifted from earlier figures like Hubert Humphrey.

    “From Hubert Humphrey to Jacob Fry, what a falling off was there, to borrow a phrase from Shakespeare.” — Scott Johnson [19:34]

  • Governor Tim Walz:
    • Described as “the worst governor in our history.”
    • Presided over major fraud (approx. $9 billion) largely involving Somali perpetrators.
    • Ruled as “a fascist dictator for 15 months” during COVID via emergency decrees [21:44].
    • Spent $18 billion surplus, leaving a $9 billion deficit after Democratic takeover.
    • Known for blaming others, notably Judge Guthman, whose public statement refuted Walz’s narrative.
    • Called a “compulsive liar” and “despicable human being” by Johnson [23:44].
  • Attorney General Keith Ellison:
    • Former member and leader in the Nation of Islam (as “Keith Ellison Muhammad” [24:39]), which he downplays in his memoirs.
    • Characterized as an anti-cop activist and “hustler and liar without a conscience.”
    • Noted for his conduct in the Derek Chauvin prosecution and selective handling of controversial involvement.
  • Senator Amy Klobuchar:
    • Rose to power based in part on name recognition, has a reputation for bipartisanship mostly due to trivial legislation.
    • Her public persona of “Minnesota nice mom” masks a more calculating, teflon approach.

4. Media Environment in Minnesota

• Star Tribune Critique
  • Described as the dominant, liberal “fog machine” shaping perceptions, especially hostile to Republicans and Trump [31:33].
  • On the Somali fraud case, Johnson acknowledges the paper’s generally factual coverage due to the story’s magnitude, but asserts most other issues are spun leftward or not covered at all.

    “With respect to ICE and Trump… the Star Tribune is like an incessant fog machine… You’d have no idea about the nonprofit support of the resistance and of the organized nature… from reading the Star Tribune.” — Scott Johnson [32:12]

  • Personal experience: Living in Minnesota remains pleasant in practice, but culturally and politically he feels a “suffocating” sense of frustration and pressure.

5. The Somali Fraud Case and Community Response

• National Spotlight
  • The fraud—billions siphoned by a Somali-led nonprofit—has drawn national attention since late 2023, but Johnson clarifies local coverage and outrage predates that substantially.

    “You’d have the impression… the story of Somali fraud has exploded into the national news… but this has been a huge story since January 22, 2022 in the Twin Cities… The coverage of the local media has been great.” — Scott Johnson [35:18]

  • The lack of internal community whistleblowers or outcry is a significant, under-discussed element; Johnson attributes it to clan dynamics and a lack of broader communal feeling of citizenship [36:40].

    “They don’t seem to have much of a feeling of citizenship obligating them to fellow citizens among the community… I’ve been waiting for a public spokesman… that really hasn’t happened.” — Scott Johnson [36:53]

6. The Powerline Blog: History & Mission

• Origin Story

  • Started Memorial Day Weekend 2002 by Johnson and John Hinderaker, both attorneys and Dartmouth grads, with a background in policy writing and newspaper rebuttals.
  • Early work included detailed critiques of Pulitzer-winning journalists, defense of Reagan-era policy, and investigative reporting around high-stakes elections [40:58].
  • Independence made possible by blogging: “All of a sudden, I could do what we had been doing without the need of interesting an editor… writing from outside the journalistic world.” — Scott Johnson [44:26]

• Highlights & Legacy

  • Rathergate exposed through crowdsourced information via Powerline in real-time (helped make political blogging a force).
  • Broke stories on Keith Ellison’s background and Ilhan Omar’s alleged marriage fraud [47:25].
  • Has covered multiple high-profile trials involving terrorism and fraud (including the Feeding Our Future trials and local terrorism cases).
  • Motivated by a desire to expose, clarify, and counteract dominant media narratives, while collaborating with a network of contributors and readers.

• Approach & Philosophy

  • Openly highlights and links to other outlets and writers, fostering a spirit of collaboration, not competition.

    "When you go [to Powerline], the first thing you see are six or eight recommended readings from other places. That takes a special kind of mindset…" — Jack Fowler [50:46]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Don Lemon's “Churchus Interruptus”
  “Don Lemon wants a new [Lemon] test. Someone who claims to be doing what he’s doing as a journalist is somehow immune from the laws that govern the rest of us.” — Scott Johnson [06:46]

• On Dan Rather's Endurance
  “The left never gives up. In some respects survival is the name of the game. And here we are, nearly 22 years after Rathergate, and he’s still kicking and people are still looking to him for guidance.” — Scott Johnson [12:36]

• Historical Comparison
  “Did I mention Alger Hiss?... Rather as the journalistic equivalent of Alger Hiss.” — Scott Johnson [13:22]

• On the Shift in Minnesota Politics
  “From Hubert Humphrey to Jacob Fry, what a falling off was there, to borrow a phrase from Shakespeare.” — Scott Johnson [19:34]

• On Tim Walz’s Leadership
  “He ruled as a fascist dictator for 15 months under that emergency decree, and in an incredibly arbitrary and destructive way… compulsive liar… a really despicable human being.” — Scott Johnson [21:44][23:44]

• Somali Fraud and Community Response
  “They don’t seem to have much of a feeling of citizenship obligating them to fellow citizens among the community… I’ve been waiting for a public spokesman… that really hasn’t happened.” — Scott Johnson [36:53]

• Media Challenges in Minnesota
  “The Star Tribune is like an incessant fog machine. It is impossible to understand what’s going on… you really have to look elsewhere.” — Scott Johnson [32:12]

• On Powerline’s Ethos
  "I could do what we had been doing without the need of interesting an editor… writing from outside the journalistic world." — Scott Johnson [44:26]

Key Timestamps for Main Segments

• Don Lemon indictment and civil rights (Church incident): [05:38]–[11:41]
• Rathergate and legacy of Dan Rather: [11:41]–[15:01]
• Minnesota's Democratic leadership - Walz, Ellison, Klobuchar: [18:54]–[29:38]
• Media landscape and local news coverage realities: [30:57]–[33:51]
• Somali fraud, community response, and trials: [35:05]–[37:59]
• Powerline Blog - history, highlights, philosophy: [38:55]–[50:46]

Episode Tone

The discussion is brisk, wry, and reflective, marked by Scott Johnson’s penchant for dry understatement and sharp critique, balanced by respect for fact-collecting and the hope for reform. There is a strong undercurrent of frustration with both mainstream media and current Minnesota political leadership, yet the recollections and insights are delivered with warmth, humor, and a collaborative spirit.

This summary delivers a comprehensive, navigable sense of the discussions, arguments, and opinions put forward in the episode—useful for listeners and non-listeners alike.