Why are journalists being subjected to search warrants in the US? | Caitlin Vogus

The Department of Justice’s blatant disregard for the constitution and attempt to hide the law is disturbing

On Tuesday, a federal judge unsealed records showing that the Department of Justice tried and failed to get search warrants targeting journalists https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/02/don-lemon-georgia-fort-arrest-first-amendment">Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, as well as three protesters involved in the Cities church demonstration in St Paul, Minnesota, last winter.

A court rejected the search warrants – twice.

In strikingly blunt opinions, magistrate judge John Docherty said officials https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.232141/gov.uscourts.mnd.232141.1.0_2.pdf">didn’t meet basic legal standards and https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.232141/gov.uscourts.mnd.232141.4.0_1.pdf">chastised them for failing to mention a federal law that may have made some of the warrants illegal.

The Department of Justice later https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.232141/gov.uscourts.mnd.232141.9.0_1.pdf">withdrew the requests.