The Justice Department is reaching out to Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video message encouraging service members to “reject illegal orders,” according to a source familiar with the situation. Representatives Jason Crow from Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan from Pennsylvania, and Maggie Goodlander from New Hampshire reported on Wednesday that they had been contacted by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, seeking interviews with them or their legal representatives.
This video, which sparked controversy, was released in November and included comments from Crow, Houlahan, Goodlander, Senator Elissa Slotkin from Michigan, and Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona. Critics allege that the Democrats involved were inciting rebellion against President Trump and his assistant, Pete Hegseth, both of whom have military and intelligence backgrounds.
The video came to light during a national debate concerning President Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to various cities across the nation.
Trump publicly condemned the video, labeling the congressional participants’ actions as “inflamed.” In multiple posts on Truth Social, he stated that this amounted to “sedition at the highest level” and called for their arrest, insisting that their words could not be ignored. He even implied that sedition should be punished by death.
In response to the Department of Justice’s inquiry, Crow, Houlahan, and Goodlander addressed the matter on social media. Crow accused the Justice Department of attempting to intimidate them, asserting, “Trump’s political cronies at the Justice Department are trying to blackmail and intimidate us.” He stated he would remain loyal to the Constitution regardless. Goodlander expressed disappointment over the threats from the President and the DOJ, emphasizing that simply stating an essential legal principle has resulted in intimidation.
Houlahan also noted she had been contacted by federal prosecutors investigating her involvement in the video and argued that their targeting was due to President Trump’s desire to suppress uncomfortable truths.
This story is still unfolding, so stay tuned for updates.
