A Minnesota magistrate judge ordered the clerk of court to unseal multiple search warrant applications and related orders connected to the Don Lemon investigation. The judge previously rejected initial warrant applications, held several later applications in abeyance due to concerns about the Privacy Protection Act’s impact on YouTube accounts, and rejected another reapplication for lacking probable cause. The unsealed materials include original and resubmitted warrant applications, court orders issued in February and March, an order to show cause, and the United States’ response. Public redacted versions will also be filed for additional warrant applications and an email withdrawing the warrant applications. The affidavit substance, signed by an HSI agent, adds support to claims that grand jury transcripts may contain questionable material.
"The Court now orders the Clerk of Court to unseal the following documents: The February 24, 2026 original and March 6, 2026 re-submitted search warrant applications in case numbers 26-mj-205, 26-mj-206, and 26-mj-207; The Court's Orders of February 25, 2026 and March 6, 2026; The Court's Order to Show Cause of May 1, 2026; The May 15, 2026 Response of the United States to the Order to Show Cause; and This Order."
"He rejected all the first versions, held three of the second in abeyance because of concerns about the Privacy Protection Act's impact on YouTube accounts (especially those of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort), and rejected another of those reapplications - one targeting Ian Davis Austin's phone - for lacking probable cause entirely."
"Separately, the Court will file public, redacted versions of the following documents: The February 24, 2026 original and March 6, 2026 re-submitted search warrant applications in case number 26-mj-208 and the original (only) search warrant application in case number 26-mj-209 (which was not re-submitted on March 6, 2026); and The March 26, 2026 email from the United States withdrawing the warrant applications"
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