A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has declined to indict Democratic Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan on charges of seditious conspiracy, as reported by MS Now. The controversy stems from a video the senators made in November, alongside four other Democratic colleagues, which urged military members to refuse illegal orders from superiors. This video was released in response to allegations of extrajudicial killings by the U.S. military involving boats in the Caribbean and Pacific suspected of transporting narcotics.
Federal prosecutors also sought indictments against four other Democrats involved in the video: Representatives Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Jason Crow of Colorado, and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania. This attempt to indict six members of Congress is notable, as it is highly unusual for a grand jury to refuse a prosecutor’s request for an indictment when there is believed to be probable cause for a crime.
Following the video’s release on November 18, former President Donald Trump condemned the senators, accusing them of “seditious behavior, punishable by death.” In response to the grand jury’s decision, Mark Kelly said on X, “This is an outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackies.” He criticized the efforts to charge him for expressing his views, emphasizing that this was not the appropriate response from those in power.
Elissa Slotkin also responded, stating, “Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attempted to persuade a Grand Jury to indict me. This was in response to me organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law.” She accused Trump of orchestrating the indictment effort and expressed relief that the grand jury upheld the rule of law. “Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good,” she added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed his belief that the six Democrats should face indictment for their video instructing military personnel on illegal orders. However, Goodlander rebuffed this notion, saying, “President Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate me, arrest me, and hang me simply for doing my job.” She commended the grand jury for standing up against perceived presidential overreach and reaffirmed her commitment to her constitutional duties.
Deluzio echoed this sentiment, declaring he would not be intimidated by the Trump administration’s attempts to silence him. He asserted, “American citizens on a grand jury refused to go along with this attempt to charge me with a crime for stating the law in a way Trump and his enablers didn’t like. They may want Americans to be afraid to speak out or to disagree — but patriotism demands courage in this moment.”
This decision by the grand jury not only marks a significant moment in political discourse but also highlights the ongoing tensions between the current administration and its critics within Congress. The implications of this case and others like it may continue to shape the landscape of American politics in the coming months, as both parties grapple with the intersection of law, authority, and free speech.
Original Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/11/kelly-slotkin-grand-jury-trump-hegseth.html
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Publish Date: 2026-02-11 08:57:00
