A grand jury has rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to indict several Democrats over a video where they told members of the U.S. military and intelligence community to “refuse illegal orders.”
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., praised the grand jury’s decision, calling it a “score” for the “Constitution, our freedom of speech, and the rule of law.”
The Department of Justice had opened an investigation into the 90-second video that featured Slotkin; Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa.; Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H.; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.
In the video, released in November, the lawmakers speak directly to the U.S. intelligence community and members of the military.
“This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the lawmakers state as they each say different parts of a sentence.
“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” Kelly says personally.
“You must refuse illegal orders,” says Deluzio.
Trump called the video “really bad and dangerous to our country.”
“Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” the president wrote on Truth Social in November.
Slotkin said that Trump had directed the attempted indictment.
“Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attempted to persuade a grand jury to indict me. This was in response to me organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law,” Slotkin wrote on X.
“Pirro did this at the direction of President Trump, who said repeatedly that I should be investigated, arrested, and hanged for sedition.”
“Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed,” the senator continued. “Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good.”
Slotkin called the jury’s Tuesday decision an “embarrassing day for the administration,” adding it was also “another sad day for our country.”
“Because whether or not Pirro succeeded is not the point. It’s that President Trump continues to weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies,” Slotkin said.
“It’s the kind of thing you see in a foreign country, not in the United States we know and love.”
