Chuck Todd reacts to the news of independent journalist and former CNN host Don Lemon being arrested and charged by Trump’s Department of Justice over the Minnesota church protest and calls it chilling. He argues this is a direct assault on the First Amendment right to freedom of the press, but believes Lemon will beat the charges. He believes the arrest is Trump’s way of trying to distract from a terrible month for the president.

Timeline:

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00:00 Don Lemon’s arrest is pretty chilling

01:00 The 1st amendment is meant to protect speech you do & don’t like

02:15 This is a chilling moment for independent media

03:00 This feels like a desperate distraction from the administration

04:00 Journalists working for corporate media get some legal protection

05:15 One person’s journalist is another person’s activist

05:45 There’s a reason free speech and press is the FIRST amendment

06:45 If Lemon is somehow convicted, it’s an erosion of what America is

08:00 Trump had a terrible month & Republicans starting to break with him

09:45 Constitutional rights are for people we don’t like or agree with too

10:30 We’re going to find out who the “free speech” hypocrites are

11:45 White House is celebrating the government violating 1st amendment