We bring you lots of bad news. That's our job. Every once in a while, though, we can take a moment to celebrate stories that put smiles on our faces, stories that Protection Racket Media outlets avoid.
Stories like media hacks getting hoist by their own petards, for instance:
A woman who claims to have been attending service during the Minnesota church protest covered by Don Lemon last month is now suing Lemon and other protesters, saying she suffered severe emotional distress as a result of the incident.
In court documents, obtained by TMZ, Ann Doucette claims she was attending a worship service at The Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18 ... when she alleges Don and others "unlawfully interfered" with her ability to "freely exercise her religion in a private place of worship." ...
Doucette is suing for an unspecified amount, claiming she suffered "severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma" as a result of the protesters' conduct.
Doucette claims Don acted with the group of protesters, and that one protester admitted on social media to assisting Don with "logistics and local contacts in support of the operation."
Bear in mind that Ms. Doucette is only one of the people in that congregation that day. How many others might be inclined to file similar lawsuits? Enough to keep Abbe Lowell charging for billable hours well into the second J.D. Vance presidential term. Doucette's suit probably just landed first; bet on more to follow.
So far, the focus on Lemon's case has been on his potential criminal liability. The Department of Justice case against Lemon may not be a slam dunk, but prosecutors do have a case, mainly due to Lemon's own big mouth and narcissism. Evidence has emerged from his own recordings, as well as from other sources, that Lemon helped plan the illegal intrusion into the church services. Lemon's commentary afterward made it clear that inflicting distress on the congregation was the purpose of the protest. That itself makes prosecution under the FACE Act, as well as the Ku Klux Klan Act, not just possible but almost unavoidable. Wrapping oneself in the mantle of "journalist" does not immunize one from prosecution, especially when the crime and conspiracy were intended to deprive others of their own First Amendment rights to religious worship.
It provides even less immunity from civil actions, where the rules of evidence are less strict, and the standard for liability is lowered to "preponderance of evidence." Again, Lemon filmed himself coordinating with the activists who planned this intrusion, then participated in it by challenging the congregants to explain their presence in the church. One woman was seriously injured in her attempt to flee – can't wait for her lawsuit – and Lemon and his partners in this assault kept parents from getting to their children in the church daycare. The injuries are real, the instigation of those injuries clear, and Lemon filmed his own role through most of it. And when discovery takes place, the plaintiffs will get to see all of Lemon's video, not just the clips that Lemon stupidly released.
Much has been made of the potential jury pool for the criminal prosecution and jury nullification. That could be a problem for the DoJ, which is not exactly popular in the Twin Cities at the moment. However, a jury in a civil suit brought by Lemon's victims – also members of the local community – will likely have a much different dynamic. Plus, when the passions subside and potential jurors have some perspective on what happened in those few weeks, they may be a lot less inclined to look sympathetically at agitators who made matters exponentially worse, and that would definitely include Lemon.
So order your popcorn and get ready for Round Two of Lemon Law ... the round where contestants win the really big prizes.
Editor’s Note: Help us continue to report the truth about corrupt journalists and activists like Don Lemon.
Join Hot Air VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member