Grand jury refuses to indict Democratic lawmakers who urged troops to defy illegal orders

A grand jury in the nation’s capital on Tuesday rejected a Justice Department attempt to indict a group of Democratic lawmakers who encouraged U.S. military members to ignore “illegal” orders in a video posted online.

The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the video in which six Democratic lawmakers call on soldiers and members of the intelligence community to defy illegal orders from the federal government. The MPs all served in the military or intelligence agencies.

Lawmakers in the video were Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mark Kelly of Arizona, as well as Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Jason Crow of Colorado.

“This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” lawmakers say in the video. he said. “You all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution, just like us. Now, the threats to our Constitution come not only from abroad but also from within. Our laws are clear. You can reject illegal orders. You must reject illegal orders. No one is obliged to carry out orders that are contrary to the law or our Constitution.”

DEM SENATOR SAID FEDERAL INVESTIGATION DUE TO ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ VIDEO

Grand jurors refused to sign the indictments against the deputies, according to the Associated Press. It was not immediately clear whether prosecutors had filed indictments against all six lawmakers or what charges they were seeking to bring.

Prosecutors could still attempt to file an indictment against Democrats.

President Donald Trump had accused the lawmakers of being “traitors” who were “involved in sedition at the highest level” and who “should go to jail.” He even suggested on video that they should be executed, but later tried to walk back that comment.

Slotkin, who previously worked for the CIA and the Department of Defense, was targeted with a bomb threat just days after the clip and Trump’s statements calling for the execution of Democrats.

YOU MARK KELLY THINKING ABOUT THE ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ SITUATION, TELLING JIMMY KIMMEL HE’S ‘NOT GOING BACK’

President Donald Trump had accused lawmakers of being “traitors” who were inciting “riots at the highest level.” (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Tonight we can score a point for the Constitution, our freedom of speech and the rule of law,” Slotkin said Tuesday. he said. “But today wasn’t just a shameful day for the Administration. It was a sad day for our country.”

Kelly, a former Navy pilot, called the attempt to impeach “an outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackeys.”

“Donald Trump wants every American to be afraid to speak out against him,” Kelly said on channel X. “The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not to back down.”

In November, the Pentagon opened an investigation into Kelly, citing a federal law that allows retired soldiers to be recalled to active duty at the secretary’s behest for possible court-martial or other punishment.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth condemned Kelly and is seeking to retroactively demote Kelly from his rank as retired captain for his participation in the video; This confirms that refusing illegal orders is a standard part of military protocol.

Prosecutors could still attempt again to file an indictment against Democrats. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

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“As a retired Navy Captain who still receives a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he still has a responsibility to military justice,” Hegseth wrote in the January 5 X post.

Kelly responded by suing Hegseth to block these proceedings, which he called an unconstitutional act of revenge.

At last week’s hearing, a judge appeared skeptical of key arguments a government lawyer put forward to defend Hegseth’s move to censure the Arizona senator last month.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.