Sen. Mark KellyTom Brenner/GETTY

In a critical loss for the Justice Department, a federal grand jury on Tuesday refused to indict Democratic lawmakers who made a video reminding members of the military and intelligence community that they can refuse to carry out illegal orders.

The six Democrats featured in the 90-second clip are Sens. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Mark Kelly (Ariz.), and Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), Chris Deluzio (Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (N.H.), and Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.)—and they all served in the military or intelligence agencies. The indictment was sought by DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who is a longtime ally of President Donald Trump and a former Fox News host.

The video, which was posted back in November, was met with an avalanche of threats and attempted retaliation from President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and—now—Pirro and the DOJ. 

In a string of posts last year, Trump referred to the video as “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL”........

© Mother Jones