Morris Brown Reinstates President A Week After Abrupt Firing As New Allegations Emerge
New allegations have come to light accusing the reinstated president of sexual harassment, misuse of authority, and more.
Morris Brown College has reinstated its longtime president, but new allegations have popped up amid his return to the position.
Covered onBLACK ENTERPRISE last week, the Morris Brown Board of Trustees announced the transition of leadership from President Dr. Kevin James to an interim placeholder. As the news made headlines, James denounced his termination, citing accomplishments such as the HBCU’s reaccreditation since he became president in March 2019. In a public social media post, James also threatened legal action over the contractual obligations to fulfill his term.
As James and fellow community members condemned the Board’s decision and lack of transparency, the Board reversed the removal, reinstating James to his seat of power. James and local Atlanta news outlets also confirmed his return, as the academic leader called his reinstated appointment “The Hard Reset II.”
Although James seeks to continue his mission to strengthen Morris Brown and its revival, new allegations have emerged amid the controversy. WSB-TVreportedly obtained internal documents that accused the re-established leader of sexual harassment, abuse, and threats.
According to the news outlet, James’ initial firing came just a few months after he was suspended over multiple staffers’ grievances against him. Of the many accusations, James reportedly misused his authority, created a hostile and discriminatory work environment, and mishandled sexual reports while engaging in retaliatory treatment.
One of the grievances also called out James’s character and professional aptitude, stating he is “impulsive, tone deaf, lacks professionalism, displays severe issues of moral turpitude, and is such a dysfunctional character.”
While the Board cut off James’ tenure in light of these grievances, they acknowledged that their initial path to doing so did not fully resolve the workplace and administrative issues raised.
“…The board deeply regrets the harm this has caused our institution, students, families, donors, supporters, and Dr. James. While correcting a governance and process failure is necessary, the Board recognizes that this action alone — does not resolve broader concerns that have been raised regarding workplace culture, trust, and the experience of employees…,” wrote the board in a new statement.
However, as James returns to his desk, displeased administrators and shocked community members now have more questions on the HBCU’s future.
James responded, telling BE, “We will continue to operate with integrity at Morris Brown College and I will continue to have good character and lead effectively,”
A$AP Rocky Covers Rent For Residents In Old Harlem Neighborhood
"I wanted to do something that felt like giving back."
While discussing his latest album on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, A$AP Rocky revealed that he paid the rent for all the tenants in a building in his old Harlem neighborhood.
Rocky told Fallon that he was homeless growing up in New York City. Those struggles played a part in his generosity toward the residents where his grandmother lived.
“Well, some people might not know much about my early days, my past, and my background,” Rocky told Fallon. “So I grew up in the homeless shelter system, me and my family. And for me, when I look online and stuff, and I see TikToks of people doing things like donating to homeless people, it’s usually with a camera there. And for me, that’s a little pretentious. Or like, you know, it’s a little embarrassing for the recipient. So I wanted to do something that felt like giving back, but without trying to be too much, like, flashy about it.”
Before the release of his current album, Don’t be Dumb, the Harlem rapper announced a partnership with Bilt. On a special edition of the platform’s monthly game show, Rent Free, Rocky will appear as a contestant.
Members nationwide can win free rent payments of up to $2,500. The top 10 winners will receive signed copies of the exclusive vinyl edition of Don’t be Dumb. Hundreds of members will have more opportunities to earn bonus Bilt points through participation.
Don’t Be Dumb was released Jan. 16 and is available online.
‘Good and Nice:’ Dr Pepper Turns Fan’s Viral TikTok Jingle Into CFP National Championship Ad
The commercial ran twice during the Jan. 19 contest.
When Romeo Bingham created a catchy hook for Dr Pepper, they never expected the video to go viral beyond the internet. Now, the hit has gone from TikTok to national television as the soda brand used the tune in its ad campaign for the Football Playoff National Championship.
As a major fan of Dr Pepper, Bingham first made the video signaling their love for the soda Dec. 23. It swiftly went viral, garnering tens of millions of views for its homemade appeal. The video sparked its own trend as fellow creators and Dr. Pepper enthusiasts joined in with their own remixes of the soon-to-be jingle.
Dr Pepper also joined in on the craze in a major way by including the jingle in its commercials for the Jan. 19 championship. Co-produced by creative agency Deutsch, the ad gives the 25-year-old, known on TikTok as @romeosshow, rightful credit for the song at the bottom of the feature.
The 15-second ad twice during the championship game.
“Rather than overcomplicating the idea, we focused on honoring what made the jingle special in the first place. We kept the execution simple, built around the original hook, and let the earworm lead,” explained Deutsch’s co-chief creative officer Ryan Lehr, as reported by Bandt.
Since the ad’s airing, the Washington-based content creator will continue working with their favorite soda company to create more social content. Bingham’s viral hit is also proof of an evolving landscape for advertising, proving the power of diverse creators to further engage audiences.
Dr Pepper also acknowledged this untapped potential and influence of content creation in marketing efforts.
“…You can’t lose sight of what people are just telling you,” said Ben Sylvan, senior VP of connected media for Dr Pepper. “If you have tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people telling you that this is resonating, it’s telling you this is powerful content, and could be really impactful for your brand.”
National DJ Day: A Shout-Out To The Talent Behind the Turntables
Black DJs helped craft music culture.
Black disc jockeys have crafted music culture through their ear for sound, crowd control, and the creation of atmosphere, long before automated playlists and streaming platforms entered the ecosystem. The pioneers, who started in Bronx recreation centers, Chicago warehouses and basements, turned turntables into musical instruments while becoming cultural brokers.
The nation paid homage to the innovators—who established DJ’ing as a foundation of hip-hop by reimagining jazz, R&B, reggae, and soul—on January 20, National DJ Day.
Here are 13 DJs who paved the path to what we hear today.
DJ Kool Herc
During the 1970s, DJ Kool Herc revolutionized Bronx block parties by extending break sections from funk and soul records. This wizardry gave dancers extra space to dance and emcees more time to interact with the crowd. A 1973 party hosted by Herc is recognized as the event that transformed DJing from basic music playback into an artistic act—through his focus on rhythm and community, Herc established the foundation for hip-hop’s four essential elements, which initiated a cultural movement that transformed global culture.
Afrika Bambaataa chose to focus on structure instead of sound. In the mid-1970s, in the Bronx, he led the Universal Zulu Nation, which united DJs, dancers, and artists to create hip-hop as a worldwide cultural movement. Through his musical fusion of funk and electronic music with Afrocentric elements, he extended hip-hop’s influence and DJ culture well beyond New York.
Kool DJ Red Alert
Starting in the late 1970s, Kool DJ Red Alert introduced hip-hop to commercial radio stations, including 98.7 Kiss FM and WBLS, which amplified hip-hop artists and cemented DJ culture outside club and party settings. Through his mixtapes and radio shows, Red Alert connected the underground hip-hop scene with the music industry, widening hip-hop’s audience.
DJ Kid Capri
During the late 1980s, the Bronx’s DJ Kid Capri gained fame for his exceptional skill in managing large crowds at clubs, on national television, and at tour events. Through his appearances on Def Comedy Jam and major award shows, Capri demonstrated that DJs could command the audience’s attention, helping advance DJ culture from the booth to center stage.
The influence of DJ Clark Kent is usually experienced rather than observed. Starting his career in Brooklyn during the late 1980s, Kent transitioned smoothly between DJ booths and recording studios while making musical contributions and linking artists with executives. Through his work, he connected DJ culture with the growth of the hip-hop business to show that DJs could influence the industry through sound and strategy.
Frankie Knuckles
While hip-hop developed in New York, Frankie Knuckles created a different musical movement in Chicago. At the Warehouse, Knuckles created house music by blending disco, soul, and electronic sounds in his extended emotional mixes. His method transformed club culture and set a global standard for DJs, which continues to shape dance floors today.
DJ Screw
Through his work in Houston, DJ Screw transformed Southern DJ culture by slowing down record speeds and emphasizing deep bass, which led to the development of the “chopped and screwed” musical style. During the 1990s, Screw distributed his mixtapes through underground channels. That developed into a regional movement that eventually impacted artists nationwide. The South established its position as a hip-hop cultural innovator through Screw’s work.
DJ Jubilee
DJ Jubilee emerged as one of the most recognizable voices and DJs of New Orleans bounce music. Jubilee developed his fast-paced call-and-response style through his work at block parties and local radio, which reflected the communal nature of Southern DJ culture. Through his work, he preserved bounce as a regional sound and introduced it to broader audiences.
DJ Toomp
From Atlanta, DJ Toomp began his career in Southern mixtape and DJ circuits before rising to become a major producer during the city’s hip-hop explosion. Through his DJ experience, Toomp developed his signature minimalist bass-driven production style, which he demonstrated in his work with T.I. and Kanye West. Toomp helped turn regional hip-hop into national powerhouses during the 2000s.
Dr. Dre started his career as a Los Angeles club DJ specializing in electro-funk and radio culture before becoming one of hip-hop’s most influential producers and executives. The World Class Wreckin’ Cru gave Dre his first experience in West Coast DJing while he developed his futuristic sound. Dre transformed DJ culture into a funk production-driven force through his work with N.W.A., which cemented the West Coast hip-hop sound and created future hip-hop legends.
Spinderella
Through her role as the turntable backbone for Salt-N-Pepa, Deidra “Spinderella” Roper established hip-hop historical significance while making strides against male dominance in DJing. She joined the group during her teenage years to help create “Push It” and “Whatta Man.” In 2025, she became the first woman DJ to enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Big Tech Staff Rally Bosses Against Trump’s ICE Raids
The tech world's support of President Donal Trump has vastly changed between his first and second terms in office.
Employees working at Silicon Valley’s most lucrative tech companies are standing up for change, rallying for their bosses to put pressure on President Donald Trump to withdraw federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from major U.S. cities, The Washington Post reports.
In a letter with more than 200 signatures, workers at major tech conglomerates such as Google, Amazon, and TikTok highlighted that their executives and leaders once stopped Trump from deploying federal officers to San Francisco in October 2025. Now they want their CEOs to do the same on behalf of the innocent people of Minneapolis, as ICE raids have resulted in violence and protests.
“We are tech industry professionals in the United States. We all witnessed ICE brutally kill a U.S. citizen on the streets of Minneapolis. Then, the Trump administration brazenly lied about what happened,” the letter reads, according to KRON 4.
“We didn’t get here overnight. For months now, Trump has sent federal agents to our cities to criminalize us, our neighbors, friends, colleagues, and family members. From Minneapolis to Los Angeles to Chicago, we’ve seen armed and masked thugs bring reckless violence, kidnapping, terror, and cruelty with no end in sight.”
The letter, signed by employees at Spotify, Uber, and YouTube, has one request of their employers: “Pick up the phone again” to call “the White House and demand that ICE leave our cities.”
Much has changed in the tech world in regards to standing—or not—with Trump. A majority of companies opposed his administration’s policies during his first term, but not this time.
Leaders have been silent on issues like immigration, an unrepresentative workforce, and diversity initiatives, which were heavily supported following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. Amazon, Apple and other tech giants once projected legal action against the first Trump administration over the controversial Muslim travel ban.
Some of those same leaders were present for Trump’s 2025 inauguration, standing behind the 47th president and Vice President JD Vance, who seemingly got his start in politics with support from venture capitalist Peter Thiel and entrepreneur David Sacks.
Employees have also dialed back their objections. “A lot of my former colleagues have told me privately that they are really outraged by what is happening, but that they are too afraid that they will lose their jobs if they speak out,” Pete Warden, a veteran Google and Apple employee and leader of Moonshine AI start-up who signed the letter, said.
The signees also want CEOs to cancel contracts with ICE and speak out against “ICE’s violence.” Anne Diemer, a HR consultant from San Francisco who curated the letter, said there is more power in numbers and that tech world has done this before.
“There is a stereotype that tech is with Trump on this, and there are a lot of tech companies that have contracts with ICE, and I wanted to show that it isn’t all of us,” Diemer said. “We have a lot of power as a collective.”
Other experts feel bad politics equals the chance for a company to fail. America saw what happened after megaretailer Target withdrew its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
“There’s sort of a bigger tent of capitalists who care about the rule of law [and] avoiding the drift into authoritarianism,” Lisa Conn, who started a work collaboration start-up after fighting extremism on Facebook while working for Meta.
“When people are being killed on the streets, business goes to hell, and it takes decades to recover.”
Georgia Combats HOA Abuse Through New Legislation, ‘Neighbors Get Back To Being Neighbors’
Georgia lawmakers are moving forward with new legislation aimed at shielding homeowners from what critics say are overly aggressive HOA practices.
Several Georgia Senate bills are under consideration that seek to rein in what homeowners say are abusive or overly aggressive homeowner associations hungry to forfeit their properties.
Georgia’s newly introduced SB 406, known as the Georgia Property Owners’ Bill of Rights Act, follows years of homeowner complaints statewide, including reports of rising fines, increasing legal costs, and poor communication from HOA boards and property management companies, 11 Alive reports. Sen. Matt Brass, a co-sponsor of the legislation, says the measure aims to ease tensions and introduce impartial oversight into disputes that frequently become heated and personal.
“I mean, it’s just literal hate,” Brass said. “And if we can kind of help mediate that and help solve some of these issues with a level head of someone that’s not financially invested in their property or in their community … take it out of there, have somebody non-biased to look at it, and hopefully we can solve it. And neighbors get back to being neighbors.”
Senate Bill 406 would strengthen HOA enforcement rules, create a new oversight avenue through the Secretary of State, and modify foreclosure procedures. The bill would raise the minimum amount of debt required before an HOA can foreclose from $2,000 to $4,000, a change aimed at preventing situations in which homeowners face spiraling fines, mounting legal fees, and poor communication from their association or property management company.
Senior Investigator Rebecca Lindstrom highlighted a case in which an HOA foreclosed on a woman’s home and later bought it at auction for just $3.24, even though the homeowner had already paid thousands toward her balance. Under SB 406, that type of foreclosure would be prohibited. The bill would also ban HOAs, their management companies, or anyone connected to them from purchasing homes at foreclosure sales, a practice that has sparked widespread backlash.
Under SB 406, all Georgia HOAs would, for the first time, be required to register annually with the Secretary of State, pay a $100 fee, and submit basic financial information. Associations that fail to register would lose the ability to collect dues, levy fines, place liens, or pursue foreclosures.
The fee would fund a new state oversight board with authority to investigate complaints, refer potential crimes to law enforcement, and mediate disputes between homeowners and HOAs. The legislation also outlines explicit homeowner rights, including access to records, meeting notifications, voting protections, and clearer standards for HOA board conduct.
“This bill doesn’t take anything away from associations, doesn’t take any power away from them,” Brass said. “It’s just saying, you know, you have to follow your bylaws, and if you don’t, there’s going to be, there’s a process to where someone can come in–– that’s not necessarily a court — and can look at it and tell you if you’re following your bylaws or not.”
SB 406 builds on a version of the legislation Brass introduced during a Senate study committee over the break. He anticipates revisions as the bill advances through the committee process, but says an accountability measure was necessary because none currently exists.
7 Viable Tips Black Consumers Can Use To Enrich Their Financial Wellness In 2026
A good financial wellness plan includes balancing long-term money goals with joy and spontaneity.
January is when people often enthusiastically set goals to save more money, reduce spending, and consider new plans to elevate their finances and secure their financial wellness.
Pertaining to Black consumers, it is suggested that they use a strategy that extends beyond a one-time resolution that may be fleeting. Instead, another option is examining more viable ways to better control your money throughout the year. It was disclosed a good financial wellness plan includes balancing long-term money goals with joy and spontaneity.
That approach might be fitting as 93% of respondents overall intend to transform how they manage money this year, according to Intuit’s Financial Wellness survey. The analysis, broken down for BLACK ENTERPRISE, reveals that Black adults are also rethinking how they handle cash.
The survey unmasked that living costs remain a major financial stressor for Black people, with 44% citing inflation and daily expenses continuing to squeeze household budgets.
However, 37% refuse to quit dining out. They are among groups wary to do that as “shared experiences remain central to connection and well-being.”
The survey indicates that 32% of Blacks—like most people—are entering 2026 with financial regrets from last year. That is supposedly driving a wish for those individuals to use methods that are regarded as realistic, flexible, and sustainable.
Intuit’s Financial Advocate, Giovanna “Gigi” Gonzalez, shared via email that financial wellness is being the “active architect of your money.” She says that includes balancing current priorities such as a debt repayment plan and long-term goals like buying a home and investing for retirement.
“Financial wellness is critical to our overall well-being because money affects every aspect of our life, including where we live, what type of groceries we can buy, and what healthcare we have access to.”
She offered helpful tips that can be applied to achieve financial wellness this year:
Practice value-based spending: Get clear on what values are important to you and what spending categories support those values. The data showed 43 % of Black respondents plan to practice more mindful spending, prioritizing needs over wants in 2026.
Limit impulse spending. This spending is making emotionally driven, unplanned purchases. Unchecked, it can quickly derail your financial progress. Before making a purchase, ask yourself how this might impact your budget or goals.
Embrace budgeting. This is a powerful tool to make progress in your present and future financial goals. However, according to the data, only 30% reported that they consistently follow a budget today. One budget method is putting your financial goals on autopay, so your savings, retirement, and any debt payments are automatically deducted from your account.
Save on dining out. The survey showed this as the #1 indulgence people refuse to cut. You can save on dining out by limiting yourself to a certain number of orders a week or committing to cooking on the weekdays and only dining out on the weekends.
Boost savings. Inventory your monthly spending. Consider, do I really need to pay for this? “We all have an extra subscription or two we can cut out or find a free alternative for.”
Pay off debt. Start by organizing your debt. Be clear who you owe money to, how much is owed, your minimum payment, and the annual percentage rate. Then act and create a plan that’s super-specific. Break it down into a monthly strategy and outline exactly how much you will pay then. Begin with the debt charging the highest interest.
Increase income. With the internet and the gig economy, it’s easier than ever to make some extra cash to boost your income and help you meet financial goals faster. “You can opt for something flexible like dog walking or meal delivery, or finally lean into a passion project like selling your artwork.”
The former Migos member is reportedly not out of the woods yet.
Atlanta recording artist Offset, in the midst of his divorce from Cardi B, has settled a more than $1.5 million tax debt with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), US Magazinereports.
Offset (born Kiari Kendrell Cephus) owed $1,575,266.73.
The IRS released a lien on the bill on Dec. 26, 2025, for the money he owed the government for 2022. The lien was initially filed on April 3, 2024.
Rapper Offset has paid off a $1.5 million tax debt that Uncle Sam demanded amid his bitter divorce from Cardi B, Us Weekly can exclusively report. https://t.co/a4aSJhjqxG
The former Migos member is reportedly not out of the woods yet. He may have to come up with an additional $778,426 to be cleared of any government debt.
Why that amount? US initially reported in October 2025 that Offset was hit with a separate six-figure lien—$486,426.35 in taxes for 2023. It also stated that he will be hit with another one for owing $292,000 for 2021, according to a March 2025 filing by the Georgia Department of Revenue.
The original amount listed by the agency is $167,916, but the total increased to $167,916 due to interest ($53,000), penalties ($40,000), collection fees ($33,000), and other costs.
Last year, Cardi revealed her husband’s tax issues and blamed them for the divorce not being finalized yet. The couple split in 2024, according to US Weekly.
“The only reason why I’m still married is because somebody wants me to pay for their taxes,” she alleged. “Y’all wanna know the tea? The only way I can get out of my marriage is if I pay for somebody else’s taxes, even though I pay for my own, and give them one of my properties. I’m fighting for that, I’m gonna fight for that. This is not no love sh**.”
In May 2025, Offset requested joint custody and spousal support in the couple’s divorce case.
United Airlines Sued By Ex-Employee On Claims He Was Fired After Using PTO For Chemotherapy
The employee says he was ineligible for medical leave, leaving him with no choice but to use sick time for chemo.
United Airlines is facing a lawsuit from a former employee who says the company fired him for using too much paid time off to attend chemotherapy.
Hasan Syed filed the lawsuit Jan. 13 in Illinois, citing disability-based discrimination as the reason behind his firing from the U.S.-based airliner. According to a filing obtained byPeople, Syed stated he was let go over the phone for taking too much time off.
He says, however, that he requested the PTO to attend his chemotherapy sessions. He began working for the company in April 2024, receiving a diagnosis of his stage four lymphoma cancer diagnosis in January of the next year.
While he tried to get leave for his serious illness through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), he was denied due to not having worked at the company long enough. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employees can receive up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave with health benefits intact after 12 consecutive months of employment.
Following the harrowing news, he still tried to keep up with his 12-hour shifts. He used his employee benefits of paid time off and sick days as he began chemo that February.
“Despite his diagnosis and medical challenges, [Syed] continued working and performing his job duties to the best of his abilities,” the complaint says.
However, the company began to take note of how often he used his off days, unknowingly placing him on the chopping block. In the midst of a chemo session, Syed received a call informing him of his termination. His supervisor allegedly stated that his time off was the culprit.
“I’m sorry, but I have to let you go,” reportedly detailed the supervisor. “You’re taking too much time off work.”
To add insult to injury, Syed claims the termination occurred one week before he became eligible for medical leave. His lawsuit further dictated that the firing left Syed at a loss, especially with the abrupt removal of his health benefits.
[United’s] actions caused [Syed] significant financial harm, emotional distress, humiliation, and loss of dignity during an extremely vulnerable period of his life,” stated the filing.
However, Syed says the termination violated more than the FMLA. The former airline worker also accused United of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Illinois Human Rights Act.
Now, Syed hopes to reclaim back pay with interest, loss of benefits, and damages for what he considers an unjust firing. His attorney told the news outlet that his case is more than personal, but about “hold[ing] employers accountable.”
“Mr. Syed’s case is about a worker who did everything he could to keep working while fighting a serious medical condition — and was terminated instead of supported,” shared the attorney, Chad Eisenback, in an emailed statement. “No one should have to choose between their health and their livelihood, and we will continue to hold employers accountable when they do.”
As for United Airlines, the company refused to issue a statement on the legal matter.
Don Lemon And Nicki Minaj Spar on X Following Anti-ICE Protest at Church
She called for the journalist's arrest for reporting from an anti‑ICE protest at a Minnesota church.
Don Lemon and Nicki Minaj exchanged words after the rapper called for Lemon to be jailed over his presence at an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church.
The former CNN host was called out on Jan. 19 after Minaj took to X to harshly criticize Lemon over his coverage of an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“DON ‘C* S*** LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!” Minaj wrote.
Lemon, who says he attended the event solely to document it for his independent YouTube channel, responded by calling Minaj a “homophobic bigot” and noting her birth in Trinidad and Tobago, calling her an “undocumented citizen.”
“Nicki Minaj, stop talking about s*** for which you know nothing about. This is out of your depth. You are a homophobic bigot. You don’t care about African Americans, and you’re not an African American. From what I know, you are reportedly an undocumented citizen so you should be deported under Donald Trump’s rules.”
Don Lemon: “Nicki Minaj, stop talking about shit for which you know nothing about. This is out of your depth. You are a homophobic bigot. You don’t care about African Americans and you’re not an African American. From what I know, you are reportedly an undocumented citizen so you… pic.twitter.com/wMaXGxYzrx
Lemon also referenced the criminal histories of Minaj’s husband, a registered sex offender, and her brother, Jelani Maraj, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing his stepdaughter, and accused the rapper of aligning herself with the Republican Party.
“Nicki Minaj, get a life. Stop being a ‘pick me.’ You should have put a pick-me doll on that damn tweet instead of a Chucky doll, because you are nothing but a pick-me. And I pick. I choose not to pick you. And so should Black people, and so should gay people. [They] shouldn’t buy your music. Clock that,” he said.
Minaj later returned to X, saying she had made her post about Lemon deliberately abrasive, explaining it was the only way to get attention from certain users.
“And I purposely wrote it that way b/c I knew that would be the only way to get the c* s*** to post about it,” she wrote. “They would’ve all collectively ignored the despicable behavior displayed by Lemon head. I’m glad they’re angry. They’re about to get angrier.”
The controversy began after anti‑ICE protesters disrupted services at Cities Church in St. Paul on Jan. 18, accusing one of the church’s pastors of also serving as the acting field director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the region. Demonstrators, organized by Black Lives Matter Minnesota, chanted “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good”—referencing the Minnesota woman recently killed by an ICE agent.
Lemon insists he was covering the protest as a journalist and had no prior knowledge that the group would target the church, telling viewers in an Instagram video, “I have no affiliation with that organization. I didn’t even know they were going to this church until we followed them there.”
He released a statement to Fox News Digital, denouncing the criticism and standing by his journalism.
“It’s notable that I’ve been cast as the face of a protest I was covering as a journalist—especially since I wasn’t the only reporter there,” he said. “That framing is telling…If this much time and energy is going to be spent manufacturing outrage, it would be far better used investigating the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good—the very issue that brought people into the streets in the first place. I stand by my reporting.”
