DOJ wants interviews with Democrats as part of investigation into lawmakers’ ‘illegal orders’ video

By Camila DeChalus, CNN

(CNN) — At least four Democratic lawmakers have been contacted by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office for interviews following their involvement in a controversial video urging service members and intelligence officials to disobey illegal orders.

The contact signals Justice Department has not let up on its investigation into the “illegal orders” video after the FBI first contacted the Senate and House sergeant-at-arms in November seeking to schedule interviews with the six Democratic lawmakers in the video. The Trump administration has painted the video as a dangerous undermining of the president’s authority as commander in chief, while the Democrats have argued they were simply restating the law.

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania said they had also been contacted by the US attorneys office.

It was not immediately clear what crime, if any, the Justice Department may be investigating related to the lawmakers, though President Donald Trump has suggested the six Democratic lawmakers engaged in “seditious behavior.” CNN has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

A spokesperson for Slotkin said the senator is “ready for anything.”

“To be clear, this is the president’s playbook. Truth doesn’t matter. Facts don’t matter, and anyone who disagrees with him becomes an enemy, and he then weaponizes The federal government against them,” Slotkin said in a video Wednesday, detailing the investigation she said is underway against her.

The New York Times first reported the senator saying this week she was under investigation.

Crow in a statement accused the president of “pressuring his political appointees to harass [him] for daring to speak up and hold him accountable,” adding that he won’t be intimidated.

“Like my colleagues, I was contacted by federal prosecutors who are investigating me for making a video reminding servicemembers not to follow illegal orders. The six of us are being targeted not because we said something untrue, but because we said something President Trump and Secretary Hegseth didn’t want anyone to hear,” Houlahan said in a statement.

Dismissing the investigation, the congresswoman noted Trump’s vocal support for anti-government protesters in Iran. “This investigation is ridiculous on any day but especially so on a day the President is considering launching airstrikes against Iran in retaliation for their crack down on free speech,” she said.

Reached by CNN, a spokesperson for Chris Deluzio did not comment on whether the Pennsylvania congressman had also been contacted by the DOJ but similarly said he would not be intimidated. “It’s obvious that this Administration is engaged in a harassment campaign against their political rivals, even targeting Members of Congress for stating the law,” the spokesperson said.

CNN has also reached out to the office of Sen. Mark Kelly, who is in a separate legal fight to block Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from cutting his retirement pay an reducing his rank related to the video.

Slotkin said Wednesday that since the release of the video, she has experienced bomb threats at her home, her parents have been swatted in the middle of the night and her siblings have had to get police presence in her homes.

“Right now, speaking out against the abuse of power is the most patriotic thing we can do,” she said.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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CNN’s Sarah Ferris and Aleena Fayaz contributed to this report.