The Trump administration has launched an investigation into five Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video message urging military personnel not to follow "illegal orders." The lawmakers, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and Jason Crow of Colorado, have been subject to what they claim is political intimidation.
In the 90-second video, the lawmakers warned that military personnel must refuse "illegal orders" and emphasized their duty to follow lawful instructions. However, President Trump has accused them of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR" and called for their arrest and trial. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also criticized the lawmakers, calling the video "despicable, reckless, and false."
The investigation into the lawmakers comes after they first posted the video in November. Since then, several have received inquiries from the Justice Department, including Slotkin and Crow, who spoke with Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in D.C.
But experts say that charging these lawmakers could be difficult due to a high intent requirement under the law they allegedly violated. The law carries a 10-year maximum prison sentence, but prosecutors would need to prove that the lawmakers knowingly committed insubordination or disloyalty.
The Democratic lawmakers have pushed back against the administration's actions, arguing that they are being targeted for exercising their First Amendment rights and fulfilling their duty as members of Congress. They claim that the investigation is a form of "persecution" and "intimidation."
In response to the investigation, Rep. Chris Deluzio vowed not to be intimidated, saying that the administration's actions were "a harassment campaign against political rivals." Chrissy Houlahan argued that they were targeted because they said something President Trump didn't want anyone to hear.
The lawmakers' video was released during a time of heightened tensions and controversy surrounding the military. The Pentagon took steps to demote Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona's rank in the Navy and cut his military pension due to his appearance in the video, which he is now suing to block.
The situation highlights the challenges of balancing the duty to follow lawful orders with the constitutional right to free speech and expression. As one law professor noted, "the Constitution sets a very, very, very high bar for the criminal prosecution of speech, especially political speech."
Ultimately, it remains to be seen how the investigation will unfold and what consequences, if any, the lawmakers may face. However, their actions serve as a reminder that members of Congress have a critical role to play in protecting democracy and upholding the principles of free speech and expression.
In the 90-second video, the lawmakers warned that military personnel must refuse "illegal orders" and emphasized their duty to follow lawful instructions. However, President Trump has accused them of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR" and called for their arrest and trial. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also criticized the lawmakers, calling the video "despicable, reckless, and false."
The investigation into the lawmakers comes after they first posted the video in November. Since then, several have received inquiries from the Justice Department, including Slotkin and Crow, who spoke with Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in D.C.
But experts say that charging these lawmakers could be difficult due to a high intent requirement under the law they allegedly violated. The law carries a 10-year maximum prison sentence, but prosecutors would need to prove that the lawmakers knowingly committed insubordination or disloyalty.
The Democratic lawmakers have pushed back against the administration's actions, arguing that they are being targeted for exercising their First Amendment rights and fulfilling their duty as members of Congress. They claim that the investigation is a form of "persecution" and "intimidation."
In response to the investigation, Rep. Chris Deluzio vowed not to be intimidated, saying that the administration's actions were "a harassment campaign against political rivals." Chrissy Houlahan argued that they were targeted because they said something President Trump didn't want anyone to hear.
The lawmakers' video was released during a time of heightened tensions and controversy surrounding the military. The Pentagon took steps to demote Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona's rank in the Navy and cut his military pension due to his appearance in the video, which he is now suing to block.
The situation highlights the challenges of balancing the duty to follow lawful orders with the constitutional right to free speech and expression. As one law professor noted, "the Constitution sets a very, very, very high bar for the criminal prosecution of speech, especially political speech."
Ultimately, it remains to be seen how the investigation will unfold and what consequences, if any, the lawmakers may face. However, their actions serve as a reminder that members of Congress have a critical role to play in protecting democracy and upholding the principles of free speech and expression.
I'm not sure I agree with myself on this one... 
I mean, shouldn't these lawmakers be held accountable for questioning orders that could potentially go against their conscience? But at the same time, aren't they exercising their right to free speech and expression, which is a fundamental right in this country? 
It's like, what's the deal with the 10-year max prison sentence under this law? Is it really meant to deter people from speaking out or just to intimidate them into silence? 
I guess we'll have to wait and see how this all plays out... 
. I mean, come on, calling those lawmakers "seditionists" and threatening their arrest is just insane 
. The fact that the Trump admin is trying to silence them for exercising their First Amendment rights? No thanks 
. It's like they're trying to intimidate people into shutting up 
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. She's got the right to speak out and express her opinions, just like anyone else 
. And let's be real, if we can't criticize our politicians without fear of retribution, what's the point of having a free press 
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. Newsflash: you're not special, Mr. Trump 
. The Constitution sets a high bar for prosecuting speech, and this investigation is just going to end up being a huge waste of time 
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. They may be politicians, but they've got the right on their side 
!
. We need more voices like theirs in our government, not fewer. And what's really interesting is how this investigation highlights the challenges of balancing loyalty to one's country with the constitutional right to free speech and expression. It's a tricky tightrope, but I think we should be pushing for more transparency and accountability from our elected officials, not less.
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. they need to be able to speak truth to power without being silenced or intimidated 
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and if u ask me this is just another example of trump trying to stifle free speech and suppress dissenting voices. 
i don't get it 
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. Can we please focus on finding solutions to our problems instead of trying to silence each other? 
...these 5 reps are being bullied by trump & his crew, it's ridiculous. they're just exercising their rights as members of congress, and suddenly we gotta go to court over this? 
i mean, come on... this whole thing reeks of trump's war on free speech. 
and i gotta say, i'm on team democratic lawmakers all day erry day 
. Now it feels like they're all playing by the same script 
. And what's with this "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR" label? Sounds like something out of a Trump Twitter tantrum 
. If they're gonna start policing people's speech like this, it's not good for democracy 
. Will be interesting to see how it plays out 
. I mean, can't we just talk about our concerns without being labelled as traitors? These 5 lawmakers are simply trying to do their job and stand up for what they believe in – which is pretty much the same as most of us when it comes down to it 
. It's about sending a chill down our spines that we can get arrested for speaking out against something. The law professor is right – the Constitution does set a high bar for prosecuting speech, especially when it comes to politics. We need more leaders like these 5 lawmakers who are willing to take risks and speak truth to power 
... aren't they worried about the precedent this sets? I think these lawmakers are being unfairly targeted for speaking out against President Trump's views 
. The fact that some people might not agree with their views is what makes democracy so great, right? 
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. I mean, what's next? Investigating people who speak out against climate change or social justice? It's like they want to control everything we say and do 
. They're trying to intimidate them into not speaking up, which is exactly what our democracy is all about - free speech and dissenting opinions 