Disgrace on these anti-ICE protesters who invaded a St. Paul, Minnesota church. Do not they understand they may have harmed the anti-ICE motion?
That was Audie Cornish’s not-so-subtle suggestion on Tuesday’s version of the CNN This Morning present she hosts.
Utilizing Katie Couric’s outdated “some say” trick, Audie put her considerations within the mouths of others. As she expressed it to fellow lib Chuck Rocha:
“As individuals had been speaking about this yesterday, I heard again and again, I really feel like [protesting in] the church is just too far. I really feel just like the activists are taking it to a spot that I can not observe. I really feel like I really feel like it might it’s one thing that the administration can use towards the protest motion.”
So, nothing intrinsically flawed about invading a home of worship to stage a protest. The priority is just that it is one thing the horrible Trump administration “can use towards the protest motion.”
And whereas Cornish did not explicitly blame the Trump administration for the church protest, she famous that “the authorities did open the door to ICE being allowed to enter church buildings. They made an adjustment to the focusing on guidelines.” Was Audie in some way implying that what’s sauce for ICE is sauce for protesters?
Cornish failed to say the involvement of ex-CNN host Don Lemon within the protest. Considerably stunning, contemplating that, as we famous again in 2023, it was Audie herself who, stay on the air, referred to as out Lemon over his idiotic declare that Nikki Haley was now not “in her prime” as a result of she was 51.
If Lemon ever was in his prime relating to understanding the Structure, these days have clearly handed. Throughout the protest, Lemon informed a pastor that there’s a constitutional proper to freedom of speech, freedom to assemble, and freedom to protest. Uh, not in another person’s non-public property! Would protesters have a constitutional proper to bust into your own home or studio to protest your inanity, Don?
Cornish performed a clip of Minnesota AG Keith Ellison saying that whereas the church members would possibly in any other case have had a First Modification proper, it is “troublesome to say” that, provided that the Trump administration is investigating numerous individuals. Huh?
Zachary Wolf, who writes CNN’s “What Issues” publication, pitched in to say that Ellison “does have some extent.” Proper on, Zach! The DoJ’s investigation of Tish James and others clearly cancels out the church members’ proper to wish with out being interrupted by screaming anti-ICE protesters!
No less than Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Andersen defined the conservative view: “Keep in mind, this was, when Charlie Kirk was shot. This was a giant piece of what conservatives had been saying. Look, we have informed you, we’re not allowed to do what we wish with out liberals coming in and stopping us and shutting down our speech, and coming into our areas, and harming us. And that is one more instance of one thing like that.”
Here is the transcript.
CNN This Morning
1/20/26
6:32 am ETAUDIE CORNISH: In Minneapolis, we have now the newest on the investigation into the killing of Renee Good, or what has now turn into the investigation of Renee Good and people near her. Two sources inform CNN the FBI opened a civil rights investigation into the officer who shot and killed Renee Good two weeks in the past earlier than rapidly closing it and shifting the main focus as to if or not the officer had been assaulted.
As a substitute, the main focus now appears to be right here The Division of Justice Civil Rights Division is now specializing in this protest, which disrupted church providers in a St. Paul church on Sunday. Protesters say one of many pastors is an area ICE official. CNN spoke with one of many organizers of the protest, and he or she mentioned she felt it was her job to tell individuals on the church about their pastor’s alleged ties to ICE.
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: I’ve not heard from the DOJ. However I believe that it is fascinating that the Trump administration will cost everybody besides people who find themselves really violating the legislation. I would not have any regrets about getting in and elevating the questions.
CORNISH: Group chat is again. Chuck, I wish to discuss to you as a result of as individuals had been speaking about this yesterday, I heard again and again, I really feel just like the church is just too far. I really feel just like the activists are taking it to a spot that I can not observe. I really feel like I really feel like it might it’s one thing that the administration can use towards the protest motion.
CHUCK ROCHA: If they might, and so they wish to wrap this up. We have all talked about why, and I do know we’ll most likely speak about the opportunity of bringing 1,500 U.S. troops to that metropolis as effectively. The administration desires to wrap this up as a result of that is the taking part in discipline for political messaging, and messaging that they will speak about, that is of their lane. They love speaking about this as a result of it is constructive for them. They’re speaking about legislation and order.
However for all of you in Minnesota serious about going to a church otherwise you wish to punish Goal, that is what you must know: is that these ICE brokers can go right into a public area and there is nothing Goal can do or some other individuals can do as a result of it is a public area. So we want to ensure we’re protesting peacefully in the correct areas and never punishing small enterprise house owners or Goal or church buildings or no matter, as a result of these ICE brokers can go nearly anyplace they wish to go and that is what try to be protesting and that is the factor that worries me.
CORNISH: It is fascinating, the federal government did open the door to ICE being allowed to enter church buildings.
ROCHA: Proper!
CORNISH: They made an adjustment to the focusing on guidelines.
. . .
KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON: One of many issues that I believe is the rationale why this explicit, the movies are getting a lot circulation, there may be a lot concentrate on this in conservative circles specifically, is as a result of they, this isn’t new, have for the final couple of years actually felt like being a conservative Christian in America is one thing you are not allowed to be, or that you’re focused. Keep in mind, this was, when Charlie Kirk was shot. This was a giant piece of what conservatives had been saying. Look, we have informed you, we’re not allowed to do what we wish with out liberals coming in and stopping us and shutting down our speech, and coming into our areas, and harming us.
And that is one more instance of one thing like that, and is why conservatives at the moment are saying, ship in every little thing you have received as a result of that is unacceptable . . . However for a very long time, this has additionally been part of the entire message of form of the MAGA motion, was that for too lengthy, conservatives had been too good, and allowed instruments for use towards them that now that they are in cost, they’re saying, we’re gonna take these instruments and use them for our personal ends.
CORNISH: All proper, effectively, evidently, there isn’t any extra Mr. Good Man below Trump 2.0. Here is Keith Ellison, the Lawyer Normal of Minnesota, speaking concerning the context he sees.
KEITH ELLISON: Properly, we stay within the age when individuals like Jerome Powell are below investigation. Tish James, James Comey, Mark Kelly, Elise Slotkin, the record goes on and on. Beneath this DOJ, wrongdoing has nothing to do with whether or not they will focus or examine you.
So, I want, in a traditional time, I might say, no, I say that is First Modification exercise. In time like this, it is simply actually troublesome to say.
ZACHARY WOLF: I imply, he does have some extent. It appears like everyone the administration disagrees with on something is the topic of some form of investigation. You talked concerning the FACE Act. I noticed some studies they may use legal guidelines designed to go after the Ku Klux Klan to go after a few of these protesters, which might be a wierd flip of occasions.
