00:00A political firestorm is erupting in Washington tonight as the FBI moves to interview six
00:20Democratic lawmakers, all veterans of the military or intelligence community,
00:25after they appeared in a video urging U.S. service members not to follow illegal orders.
00:33The bureau's outreach, first reported by Fox News, comes just days after President Donald Trump
00:39blasted the lawmakers for what he called seditious behavior.
00:44The lawmakers say something far more alarming is happening.
00:48They accused the president of weaponizing federal law enforcement to intimidate Congress itself.
00:55Four House members, Jason Crowe, Maggie Goodlander, Chris DeLuccio, and Chrissy Houlihan,
01:02issued a blistering joint statement saying,
01:05We will not be bullied. We will never give up the ship.
01:09They insist their oath to defend the Constitution lasts a lifetime.
01:14The other two lawmakers, Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Alyssa Slotkin of Michigan, were also contacted.
01:22Slotkin revealed today that the FBI's counterterrorism division reached out last night,
01:30notifying their offices that an inquiry was being opened.
01:33The FBI declined to comment publicly.
01:37But this is far more than a routine inquiry.
01:40Under Justice Department rules, investigations involving sitting lawmakers must clear multiple internal approvals,
01:49guardrails meant to prevent political abuse.
01:52Yet the Trump administration has dismantled the DOJ's public integrity section,
01:58the office responsible for those safeguards.
02:01Once staffed with 36 prosecutors, it has reportedly dwindled to just two.
02:06Tonight, Senator Kelly says he won't be silenced,
02:11even as a separate Pentagon investigation now targets him as a retired Navy officer
02:17still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
02:21Defense Secretary Pete Hedgeseth has ordered a full review by December 10th.
02:26Meanwhile, Trump is escalating his rhetoric,
02:31accusing the six Democrats of seditious behavior punishable by death.
02:37He later walked the comments back, claiming he wasn't threatening death.
02:43But the shockwaves had already ripped through Washington.
02:47Constitutional scholars warn this clash cuts to the very heart of American democracy.
02:52The First Amendment protects political speech.
02:56And the Constitution's speech or debate clause shields members of Congress from prosecution
03:02for actions taken within their legislative duties,
03:06a cornerstone of separation of powers since the nation's founding.
03:11Tonight, six lawmakers say they're being investigated for defending the Constitution.
03:17The White House insists it's upholding the law.
03:20And Americans are watching a constitutional confrontation play out in real time,
03:28one with stakes that could reshape the boundaries of power in Washington for years to come.
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