CNN’s Abby Phillip Corrected on Facts About Don Lemon Legal Case

CNN Host Abby Phillip Corrected Live On Air After Mischaracterizing Don Lemon Indictment

A tense on-air exchange unfolded on CNN’s “NewsNight” Friday when host Abby Phillip was fact-checked by her own guest regarding the details of former CNN anchor Don Lemon’s recent indictment.

The incident began when New York Post reporter Lydia Moynihan, discussing Lemon’s arrest related to anti-ICE protests at a Minnesota church, stated that the indictment accused Lemon of positioning “himself at the main door” and preventing “people from exiting.”

Phillip immediately interrupted, asserting, “No, no it does not say that. It says that protesters did that, it names the other people, it did not say that Don did that.” The host added that prosecutors would need to prove Lemon had blocked congregants from leaving.

However, the exchange took an unexpected turn when, 17 minutes later, Moynihan returned to the disagreement. “I just want to respond because you accused me of mischaracterizing the indictment,” she said, before reading directly from the court document: “At one point, defendant LEMON posted himself at the main door of the Church, where he confronted some congregants and physically obstructed them as they tried to exit the Church building to challenge them with ‘facts’ about U.S. immigration policy.”

Faced with the contradiction, Phillip appeared momentarily flustered before suggesting the entire indictment should be viewed skeptically. “They also characterized him as intimidating a pastor who he was calmly interviewing,” Phillip countered. “So I think… the characterization of him conducting journalism is also something to be questioned.”

Notably, Phillip did not acknowledge that, according to reports, the pastor had actually asked Lemon to leave the church during that same interview.

The controversy stems from events on January 18 at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Protestors targeted the church believing one of its pastors worked as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Lemon, who was fired from CNN in April 2023 after a 17-year tenure with the network, was present during the demonstration and livestreamed the events.

Lemon’s arrest on Friday has reignited debate about the boundaries between journalism and activism. The former anchor maintains he was not participating in the protest but merely covering it as a journalist. Critics, however, point to the indictment’s allegations that he actively obstructed churchgoers as evidence he crossed professional lines.

This incident highlights the increasingly blurred boundaries in modern media between reporting and participation, particularly when former mainstream journalists operate independently on social media platforms without traditional editorial oversight.

The church service disruption occurred amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration policy and enforcement in the United States. Anti-ICE protests have become more common in recent years as activists challenge what they view as unjust deportation practices.

Lemon’s court date is scheduled for February 9 in Minnesota. The case will likely become a flashpoint in ongoing discussions about media ethics, the rights of protesters, and the responsibilities of journalists when covering contentious political events.

The on-air correction also underscores the challenges news networks face when covering breaking stories involving former colleagues, where personal relationships and institutional loyalties may complicate objective reporting.