MS NOW’s Melber: Don Lemon Indictment Attempting to ‘Criminalize Reporting’

January 30, 2026
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Ari Melber, MSNBC's legal eagle, dropped a bombshell on Katy Tur Reports Friday, calling the DOJ's freshly unsealed indictment of Don Lemon a blatant attempt to criminalize reporting. Yeah, you read that right—Lemon, the ex-CNN firebrand now pivoting to independent journalism, is in the crosshairs of federal prosecutors. Melber's take frames it as a chilling government power grab against the press, but let's peel back the layers: this isn't just about Lemon spilling tea on some scandal; whispers in legal circles tie it to his coverage of ATF overreach in gun trace data dumps and Second Amendment challenges. Lemon's been vocal on platforms like X about how feds are weaponizing ghost gun regs to track law-abiding builders, and suddenly, bam—indictment for allegedly mishandling sensitive info that smells like leaked firearms enforcement docs. Dig deeper, and this reeks of the Biden admin's playbook to muzzle dissent on 2A issues. Remember Operation Choke Point 2.0? Banks blacklisting gun sellers under regulatory pressure? Now it's journalists getting the RICO treatment for reporting on it. Melber's right that it criminalizes reporting, but for the 2A community, it's a five-alarm fire. If Lemon—a lefty critic—can get indicted for airing ATF dirty laundry, imagine what happens to pro-gun podcasters, YouTubers, or bloggers exposing Fast and Furious 2.0. This DOJ move sets a precedent: report on federal gun grabs, risk felony charges. It's not hypothetical; it's the slope getting greased toward prior restraint on stories that embarrass the gun-control machine. The implications? 2A warriors need to rally—amplify Lemon's defense, fund his legal battle, and flood the zone with FOIAs on these indictments. If even MSNBC smells the authoritarian whiff, it's a rare bipartisan red flag. Stay vigilant, stock up on ammo, and keep reporting; the First Amendment guards the Second, but only if we fight for both. This story's just heating up—watch Lemon's next move, because it could define the free speech battleground for gun rights in 2025.

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Ari Melber, MSNBC’s legal eagle, dropped a bombshell on Katy Tur Reports Friday, calling the DOJ’s freshly unsealed indictment of Don Lemon a blatant attempt to criminalize reporting. Yeah, you read that right—Lemon, the ex-CNN firebrand now pivoting to independent journalism, is in the crosshairs of federal prosecutors. Melber’s take frames it as a chilling government power grab against the press, but let’s peel back the layers: this isn’t just about Lemon spilling tea on some scandal; whispers in legal circles tie it to his coverage of ATF overreach in gun trace data dumps and Second Amendment challenges. Lemon’s been vocal on platforms like X about how feds are weaponizing ghost gun regs to track law-abiding builders, and suddenly, bam—indictment for allegedly mishandling sensitive info that smells like leaked firearms enforcement docs.

Dig deeper, and this reeks of the Biden admin’s playbook to muzzle dissent on 2A issues. Remember Operation Choke Point 2.0? Banks blacklisting gun sellers under regulatory pressure? Now it’s journalists getting the RICO treatment for reporting on it. Melber’s right that it criminalizes reporting, but for the 2A community, it’s a five-alarm fire. If Lemon—a lefty critic—can get indicted for airing ATF dirty laundry, imagine what happens to pro-gun podcasters, YouTubers, or bloggers exposing Fast and Furious 2.0. This DOJ move sets a precedent: report on federal gun grabs, risk felony charges. It’s not hypothetical; it’s the slope getting greased toward prior restraint on stories that embarrass the gun-control machine.

The implications? 2A warriors need to rally—amplify Lemon’s defense, fund his legal battle, and flood the zone with FOIAs on these indictments. If even MSNBC smells the authoritarian whiff, it’s a rare bipartisan red flag. Stay vigilant, stock up on ammo, and keep reporting; the First Amendment guards the Second, but only if we fight for both. This story’s just heating up—watch Lemon’s next move, because it could define the free speech battleground for gun rights in 2025.

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