A small group of defense-minded Democrats, buoyed by broad support from their party, doubled down on their call for troops and intelligence personnel to disobey unlawful orders after President Donald Trump suggested the lawmakers could be imprisoned or executed for what he said was “seditious behavior.”
Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo., Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa. — all of whom are veterans or former intelligence officers and members of national security related committees — said in a joint statement Thursday that “no threat, intimidation or call to violence” would dissuade them from defending the Constitution.
“What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty,” the group said.
