Grand jury rejects DOJ attempt to indict 6 Dems
By: James Powel
and Dinah Voyles Pulver
USA Today
..... A grand jury rejected an attempt by the Justice Department to indict six Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video telling service members they have the right not to obey orders they believe are illegal.
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Prosecutors sought to charge the lawmakers with violating a federal law barring interference with the loyalty, morale or discipline of the U.S. armed forces, Reuters reported on February 10, [2026] citing a source familiar with the matter. The indictment was pursued by the office of U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro.
..... Participants in the video, which was published in November [2025] and titled "Don't Give Up the Ship," included Senators Elise Slotkin of Michigan and Mark Kelly of Arizona, as well as Representatives Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan, both of Pennsylvania. All six are veterans of the U.S. military.
..... In a February 10 [2026] statement, Slotkin said the Justice Department's attempt to indict her was in response to her "organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law."
..... The controversial video had echoed concerns by Democrats over the legality of President Donald Trump's deployment of the Nation la Guard to U.S. cities and the military's fatal strikes on boats suspected of trafficking drugs in the Caribbean.
..... The video sparked outrage from the Trump administration, and the president accused the six lawmakers of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVOR, punishable by DEATH!" on Truth Social.
..... Trump later addressed the post in an interview on Fox News Radio's "Brian Kilmeade Shoo" and said he was not threatening the execution of the lawmakers.
..... "Today, [02/10/2026] it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed," Slotkin said on X. "No matter what President Trump and Pirro continue to do with this case, tonight we can score one for the Constitution, our freedom of speech, and the rule of law."
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USA Today reached out to the Justice Department regarding the indictments and did not receive an mediate response on February 10. [2026]
..... In a post on X, Kelly called the indictment attempt an "outrageous abuse of power." In January, [2026] Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that he had issued a formal censure to Kelly and taken steps to demote him in retirement in response to the video.
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"It wasn't enough to Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime - all because of sometime I said that they didn't like," Kelly said on X.
..... Other lawmakers form the video expressed similar sentiments.
..... "Today, [02/10/2026] an American grand jury honored our Constitution by standing up to an outrageous abuse of presidential power and taxpayer dollars," Goodlander said on X. "No matter the threats, I will keep doing mu job and upholding my oath to our Constitution."
..... Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey was among several Senate Democrats who took to social media, commenting on the administration's failure to win an indictment and calling it "a failed coup."
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"The 6 targets were right all along - don't follow illegal orders," Markey said. "Spark truth =to power. Because it will prevail."
..... Contributing: George Petraus, Stephen J. Beard, and Alberto Cuadra, USA Today; Reuters