CNN under fire: Now, Don Lemon is accused of WARNING Jussie Smollett as cops investigated
On December 6, 2021, actor Jussie Smollett took to the stand to testify in his trial, revealing some very shocking details. Under oath, Smollett testified that he received a text from CNN anchor Don Lemon about the Chicago Police Department (CPD) investigation into his alleged hate crime attack. The damning testimony could make Lemon the next high-profile CNN employee to face scrutiny, just days after Chris Cuomo was fired.
The 'Empire' actor is currently on trial for lying to Chicago police, an outcome Lemon may have foreseen in his texts with Smollett. The case has already seen several other high-profile names being controversially attached, such as Vice President Kamala Harris who dubbed him "one of the kindest, most gentle human beings" in a 2019 tweet. Former First Lady Michelle Obama has also been accused of playing a role in Smollette's release in February 2020.
RELATED ARTICLES
How Jussie Smollett's 'MAGA attack' snowballed into a boiling pot of racism and politics
Now, it appears Don Lemon is next in line. It's not good news for CNN, which is still battling an image crisis following the revelation Chris Cuomo helped his brother during Andrew's sexual misconduct scandal. Despite quickly firing Cuomo, the network is still taking flak for keeping him on for so long, along with other controversial names like Jeffrey Toobin.
The Lemon link in Smollett's case
Back in 2019, when the scandal first erupted, Lemon told his viewers the story was "personal" since he and Smollett were close. He went on to acknowledge that the duo was in constant communication, and insisted Smollett was "innocent until proven guilty." He went on to say the actor "lost the fight in the court of public opinion" because his case "was handled poorly." But beyond weighing in with an opinion, Lemon never revealed the contents of his discussion with Smollett.
In the years since, Lemon's involvement has largely been swept under the carpet, until Smollett took the stand on December 6. Under oath, he told the court that the CNN anchor texted him, telling him the CPD "didn’t believe his account of what happened." It's unclear when Lemon sent the text, or how he got that information. All we know is that the text was why he was so reluctant to turn over his phone records to the CPD, according to The New York Post.
The Daily Mail reported that the remarks were struck from the record, but it's not clear why. Nonetheless, with the news now out there, it's put Lemon in the crosshairs, as he is already under fire over allegations of sexual assault by a man from years ago. Lemon and CNN haven't yet responded to Smollett's testimony. It's possible they are working on one now, hoping to avoid the firestorm set by Cuomo.
Along with that PR crisis, there are also the allegations against Lemon. Dustin Hice said Lemon "put his hand down the front of his own shorts, and vigorously rubbed his genitalia, removed his hand and shoved his index and middle fingers" in Hice's face during a chance meeting in July 2018 at a Hampton's bar. Hice has since filed a lawsuit in a New York court, with the case ongoing.