Democratic Lawmakers Respond on Alleged FBI Probe After Troop Command Statements
Democrat legislators who encouraged US military personnel to ignore unlawful orders are now reacting to what they call a government inquiry into their actions.
Alert of Investigation
Democrat Legislator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan stated that the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the start of the week notified the six congressional members who appeared in recent video about the investigation.
"Any attempt at intimidation or harassment will never stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our founding document," several Congressional representatives stated.
Presidential Response
Their message to military members prompted US President Trump to allege the Democratic lawmakers of "seditious behavior, carrying capital punishment" and triggered a Pentagon review of "significant claims of misconduct" against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of the state of Arizona, who also appeared in the video.
The Justice Department declined to provide statement on the reported probe.
Video Details
The video by Democrats, each of whom have worked in the armed forces or intelligence community, was shared last week by the Michigan senator and includes Senator Kelly and Congress members Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Jason Crow.
The communication came amid escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan government, as well as Democratic-controlled municipalities opposing Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to the region.
Federal Bureau Involvement
The senator said on the following day that the FBI's national security division sent a notification to the Congress members to notify them of an reported investigation into the lawmakers.
"His reaction and the deployment of the Federal Bureau against us is precisely why we created the recording," she stated at an gathering in Michigan.
"He thinks in employing the federal government against his imagined adversaries, and he's not afraid to utilize the resources of the administration against individuals he opposes," she said, characterizing Trump's behavior as "a scare tactic."
Congressional Response
Likewise, Congress members Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan and Crow asserted that Trump is using the FBI as "tool to intimidate and harass" members of Congress, verifying that the Federal Bureau reached out to the Congressional security officials to request interviews.
"We took an pledge to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath is permanent, and we plan to honor it. We will not be bullied. We refuse to give up the ship," they stated.
Presidential Response
The video - in which Kelly alleged the administration of "setting our armed forces and security professionals against American citizens" - drew the President's ire and he suggested on social media that they be arrested, locked up and hanged.
His comments received bipartisan condemnation and the president eventually walked back his statements in a TV interview, clarifying that he was "not advocating death."
Defense Department Action
On the start of the week, the Defense Department accused the Arizona legislator, a previous officer in the Navy and astronaut, of breaching armed forces regulations. The defence department announced it would conduct a review to establish whether the state senator should be recalled to military service to undergo military judicial process.
Although the senator left from the armed forces, he is still bound by the military legal code - a national legislation enacted by Congress in 1951 that subjects personnel of the armed forces to a special set of regulations.
Military Leader Comment
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth charged the senator of violating the UCMJ and of employing his position and service affiliation as a way to provide "the appearance of legitimacy to his words" in the video.
He continued that Kelly's behavior "casts doubt upon the military and will be handled appropriately."
Senator Response
But Kelly likewise pushed back, stating that he has "devoted significant service to this nation to be silenced by intimidators who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution."
Reports indicated on the following day that the FBI and Justice Department reached out to Capitol Police to arrange interviews with the six members of Congress.
The Federal Bureau declined to comment on Tuesday when contacted by news organizations.
