A shadow of legal scrutiny now falls upon three more Democratic lawmakers. Representatives Jason Crow, Chrissy Houlahan, and Maggie Goodlander have revealed they are under investigation by federal prosecutors following their participation in a video message concerning military orders.
The inquiry stems from a video released last November, featuring these lawmakers alongside several others with military and intelligence backgrounds. The message urged service members to “refuse illegal orders,” sparking immediate and intense controversy.
The Justice Department, under the direction of a U.S. Attorney, has requested interviews with the lawmakers or their legal representatives. Representative Crow publicly denounced the investigation as a politically motivated attempt to “threaten and intimidate,” vowing to stand firm in his commitment to the Constitution.
The video’s release coincided with a national debate surrounding the deployment of the National Guard by former President Trump. Critics immediately characterized the video as a direct challenge to Trump and his Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth.
Trump responded with fury, labeling the lawmakers’ actions as “seditious behavior” and demanding their arrest and prosecution in a series of posts. He even suggested the offense was punishable by death, escalating the rhetoric to a dangerous level.
Senator Elissa Slotkin, also involved in the video, described the investigation not as a pursuit of facts, but as a deliberate threat – a threat extending to her family, staff, and personal safety. The weight of potential legal repercussions hangs heavy.
Representative Goodlander echoed this sentiment, expressing dismay that simply reaffirming a fundamental principle of American law – the right to refuse illegal orders – could provoke such a forceful response from the former Commander in Chief and the Department of Justice.
Houlahan emphasized the core issue: the lawmakers are being targeted not for falsehoods, but for voicing a message that Trump and Hegseth sought to suppress. The investigation raises profound questions about the boundaries of free speech and the potential for political weaponization of the justice system.
Each of these lawmakers has publicly declared their unwavering resolve. They refuse to be silenced, insisting their duty lies in upholding the law and protecting the principles upon which the nation was founded, even in the face of mounting pressure.
