An Open Letter to Journalists and Citizens

The arrests of Don Lemon, a Democratic political candidate, and activists demand an immediate national response.

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Friday, January 30, 2026

Dear Substack,

The Trump Administration is the most lawless, corrupt, cruel, and anti-constitutional in American history. That Trump ran as a convicted felon should have been a warning.

Yet they have crossed a new Rubicon. Today, they arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon, independent journalist Georgia Fort, community organizer Traheen Jean Crews, and Minnesota state senate candidate Jamael Lydell Lundy. Their stated justification? These four entered a church to protest a pastor who collaborates with ICE.

This is an affront to our system of government—and it is no coincidence that all four work to expose Trump’s serial malfeasance, organize voters against him, or campaign for office as members of the opposition. This is Putinesque: a strategy to eliminate political opponents so Trump’s party can win in November, despite his deep unpopularity with the American public.

To make matters worse, Attorney General Pam Bondi and those who carried out these arrests appear to have done so in direct defiance of two separate court orders. This is not law enforcement—it is an attack on participatory democracy itself.

This came just one day after it was revealed that Bondi told the Minnesota Secretary of State that ICE would withdraw only if he turned over private voter data. This is the same Donald Trump whom Special Counsel Jack Smith described as “most responsible” for the January 6th attack on the Capitol—and who was recorded pressuring Georgia officials to “find” him 12,000 votes.

Is there anyone who can’t see what is going on here?

Make no mistake: they do not intend to permit fair elections in November. Whether through arrests of political opponents, the closure of polling places, voter intimidation, or purging registration rolls, this is a dress rehearsal.

This is one of those moments in history that Ronald Reagan once called “a time for choosing.” Everyone must decide where they stand—with democracy or with Trump’s autocracy. There is no third option.

We call on creators, journalists, and public officials to act now. Attorneys general, district attorneys, and governors must use every lawful power at their disposal to block illegal federal actions and protect civilians from political repression.

If you do not, it is only a matter of time before these same masked agents turn their attention to you. Deep down, you know this.

Act now if you value the First Amendment, pluralism, and a free United States of America. Prove worthy of the sacred trust your citizens placed in you. You may not get another chance.

Sincerely,

Clifford D. Schecter

Founder/CEO Blue Amp Media