Democrat legislators who urged American military personnel to ignore illegal orders are now responding to what they describe as a federal investigation into their actions.
Alert of Investigation
Democrat Senator Elissa Slotkin of the state of Michigan stated that the FBI on Monday notified the six lawmakers who appeared in recent recording about the examination.
"No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever prevent us from doing our jobs and upholding our Constitution," several Congressional representatives declared.
Presidential Reaction
Their message to military members prompted US President Trump to allege the Democrats of "seditious behavior, carrying capital punishment" and initiated a Defense Department examination of "serious allegations of improper behavior" against Democratic Legislator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who likewise participated in the video.
The Justice Department refused to provide statement on the reported investigation.
Video Details
The recording by Democrats, each of whom have served in the armed forces or national security sector, was distributed recently by the Michigan senator and includes Kelly and US Representatives Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Jason Crow.
The message came amid increasing friction between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan government, as well as Democrat-led cities opposing Trump's sending of National Guard troops to the area.
FBI Participation
Slotkin stated on the following day that the Federal Bureau of Investigation's national security division sent a note to the legislators to inform them of an reported investigation into the elected officials.
"The President's response and the deployment of the FBI against us is precisely why we created the video," she said at an event in her home state.
"He thinks in using the national government against his perceived opponents, and he's not hesitant to utilize the arms of the government against individuals he opposes," she said, characterizing Trump's actions as "intimidation."
Legislative Reaction
Likewise, US representatives Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan and Crow said that the President is using the Federal Bureau as "tool to pressure and target" legislators, verifying that the Federal Bureau reached out to the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms to arrange meetings.
"We swore an oath to uphold and defend the founding document of the United States of America. That oath is permanent, and we plan to keep it. We won't be intimidated. We will never surrender our principles," they stated.
Presidential Reaction
The video - in which Kelly accused the administration of "setting our armed forces and intelligence community personnel against American citizens" - provoked Trump's ire and he implied on social media that they be detained, locked up and hanged.
His words received cross-party censure and the chief executive eventually walked back his remarks in a TV interview, clarifying that he was "not advocating capital punishment."
Pentagon Response
On the start of the week, the Pentagon accused Senator Kelly, a previous officer in the Navy and astronaut, of breaching armed forces regulations. The defence department announced it would perform a examination to determine whether the Arizona lawmaker should be recalled to military service to face military judicial process.
Although Kelly retired from the armed forces, he is nevertheless bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice - a national legislation established by the legislature in 1951 that subjects personnel of the armed forces to a special set of rules.
Military Secretary Statement
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth charged Kelly of violating the UCMJ and of employing his position and service affiliation as a way to lend "the appearance of legitimacy to his words" in the recording.
He continued that Kelly's behavior "brings discredit upon the military and will be addressed properly."
Senator Response
But the Arizona senator also responded, stating that he has "devoted significant service to this nation to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own authority than protecting the Constitution."
Accounts indicated on the following day that the FBI and Justice Department reached out to Congressional security to arrange meetings with the half-dozen legislators.
The Federal Bureau refused to provide statement on Tuesday when approached by media outlets.
