Department of Justice prosecutors were unable on Tuesday to secure indictments against multiple Democratic lawmakers following scrutiny over a controversial video urging members of the military to refuse unlawful orders, according to a new report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The New York Times<\/em> reported Tuesday \u2014 citing four individuals familiar with the matter \u2014 that prosecutors led by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro failed to persuade a grand jury to support indictments. NBC News also confirmed the development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lawmakers involved in the video include Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), along with Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA). All have military or intelligence backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the video, the lawmakers urged service members not to comply with what they described as illegal directives and warned of internal threats to the Constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders,\u201d the lawmakers said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The remarks drew sharp backlash from President Trump and others, who argued the video crossed a dangerous line by encouraging disobedience within the armed forces \u2014 something many conservatives view as undermining military discipline and chain of command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIT WASN\u2019T, AND IT NEVER WILL BE! IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY SAID!\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In another post, Trump warned that sedition is \u201cpunishable by DEATH.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sen. Mark Kelly has since launched a separate legal battle tied to the fallout. Last month, he announced he filed a civil lawsuit against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after the Defense Department reportedly took steps to reduce Kelly\u2019s rank and pension based on the video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kelly framed the move as retaliation for political speech, though Republicans have argued that elected officials \u2014 particularly those with prior military service \u2014 should be especially cautious about messaging that could be interpreted as encouraging insubordination in the ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him\u2014and this or any administration\u2014accountable,\u201d Kelly said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHis unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn\u2019t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case adds to a broader debate over whether political figures should be using their platform to issue guidance to troops \u2014 especially at a time when conservatives have warned about growing politicization within federal institutions, including the military itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the grand jury\u2019s decision not to proceed, Sen. Slotkin celebrated the outcome and criticized the administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToday, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed. Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good,\u201d Slotkin wrote Tuesday night on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\nKelly Escalates Fight With Pentagon Over Rank and Benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Slotkin Claims Victory After Grand Jury Declines to Indict<\/h3>\n\n\n\n