Get access to Brad Slager's "Riffed From the Headlines," a daily VIP feature where he looks to bring accountability to the mainstream media. Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
Reporting on the Mirror – THE INDEPENDENTS
Things turn sour for the brash “news” man.
In the wake of the church mob that stormed a place of worship in Minneapolis, the DOJ announced a series of arrests, including the pompous former CNN figure Don Lemon. There has been no shortage of outrage in the press that President Trump, Pam Bondi, and anyone else in the Republican Party are attacking the First Amendment by arresting a journalist.
However, this line of outrage is already being adjusted, as there has been a harsh reality attached to Lemon’s indictment: It was not a rogue act by the administration; it was delivered by a Grand Jury that looked at the evidence and ruled a warrant was valid. Going further, claims of this being the result of court-shopping fall apart, as it was a Minneapolis jury — hardly the heart of MAGA Country – that delivered the ruling.
I just can't believe that America has become such a fascist country that a grand jury in a liberal state would determine that there was probable cause to indict Don Lemon with federal crimes related to disrupting a religious service.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 30, 2026
Legalized Press-titution – CNN
It seems clear Mr. Stelter believes journalists are above the law.
One of the more excitable voices of surprise over the Lemon arrest is his former colleague, Brian Stelter. Brian has leaned heavily on the free speech side and has reposted words of opposition from across the media landscape. There has been little seen about the validity of the charges, nor that it was a jury, not Trump, passing judgment on the evidence.
Today's @ReliableSources lead:
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 30, 2026
Don Lemon was right.
"They're going to try again," he said last week after a judge blocked the DOJ's first attempt to charge him.
"Keep trying," he said, vowing to continue his work.
Now he is in federal custody: https://t.co/nAK8uT6POR
News Avoidance Syndrome – CNN
He said he was just a journalist, so that proves it!
The network came out with a definitive rebuke of the Lemon arrest. What is amazing is that this is a news network saying he was clearly just reporting on the event, while positioning as ignorant that he had put up videos showing he had been part of the planning and was at the initial staging beforehand.
This is a news network choosing to ignore the very evidence he delivered, and the contents of the indictment showing how involved he had been in the planning of the mob.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) January 30, 2026
Pounce of Prevention – POLITICO
“Breathlessly” was the really precious part of this analysis.
At Politico they are facing the uncomfortable reality that the martyr Alex Pretti has been found to have not been an innocent bystander, but a recidivist aggressor with federal authorities. As more videos have emerged of Pretti acting in an antagonistic fashion with immigration agents, it has become disruptive to the sainted character they have tried to sell to the public.
So, at Politico Playbook, they went the tired route to say conservatives have latched onto this video. That this outlet has not seen fit to report on the reveal in these videos as important is the unspoken admission here.
Notice that it never occurs to @PoliticoBookDC that they were not sharing the video, concerning possibly the biggest story at the moment.
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) January 29, 2026
But "conservatives pounce" certainly applies. pic.twitter.com/qWWm6P3566
Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – MS NOW
From violent interference to “calm sideline parents.”
Chris Hayes has weighed in on the Minnesota uprisings and come to a daft conclusion: These protesters are basically soccer moms!
Yes, he seriously compared what is taking place to mothers providing orange slices at halftime during Saturday children’s soccer matches:
What's happened here is that all of those WhatsApp groups that were - that got created for that have become Signal groups about how they can make sure that ICE doesn't kidnap a teacher at their school, or a kid at their school. So all of the civic infrastructure that existed, again, a lot of this has been like parents and PTAs for that. Like, who's bringing snacks to this weekend's travel soccer game is now: how do we make sure that this family can get groceries because they're afraid to leave the house because they might get snatched on the street.
Rosa Parks time? Chris Hayes fawns over ‘civic infrastructure’ of resistance in Minneapolis unrest https://t.co/MlnmmFn7b3
— MRC NewsBusters (@newsbusters) January 29, 2026
Pre-written Field Reports – NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
Another case of a reporter asking others to do journalism.
At NPR, Steve Inskeep looked at Tulsi Gabbard's involvement with the Georgia election offices after documents involving the 2020 election had been seized. Two things seem apparent: Steve sounds rather bothered or angered over this for some reason. Curiosity and research sound like they are not options.
Also, he asks why the head of the intelligence agency was involved in this move. That is to say, the journalist was asking others on social media what was going on.
Gabbrd’s claim is that she found mysterious hidden documents that Georgians forgot to burn, and in less than 24 hours somehow correctly analyzed the “intent” of the authors, which perfectly fit the narrative Trump asked for.
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) January 29, 2026
Also why is an intel official doing law enforcement? https://t.co/NDwt3Yk3J2
