Democratic lawmakers Accuse Trump of ‘Harassment’ Campaign as FBI Seeks Interviews
A collection of Democratic politicians labeled by the president as engaging in “seditious behavior” have claimed that the US leader is employing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to target them as a “tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress.”
The group of four politicians, together with two additional members, had produced a recorded message encouraging American troops to resist illegal commands – a statement that angered Trump, who posted on online platforms that the individuals were “disloyal citizens” and thus might face imprisonment or even face the death penalty.
An announcement, released by US representatives the Colorado congressman, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan, and the New Hampshire lawmaker, confirmed that the FBI had contacted the House and Senate sergeants at arms seeking interviews with them.
“No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our constitution,” they said, noting that they had each sworn an oath “to support and defend” the US constitution.
“That oath lasts a lifetime, and we plan to honor it. We will not be bullied. We will never give up the ship,” they continued.
The declaration intensifies a conflict between the president’s team and Democratic leaders, including Arizona senator and ex-astronaut Senator Kelly and Michigan congresswoman Representative Slotkin, over the video message, which urged the armed forces and intelligence personnel to “disregard unlawful commands.”
Slotkin said the counter-terrorism unit of the FBI had notified the lawmakers that “they are initiating what appears to be an investigation targeting the six individuals” and characterized the move as a “scare tactic” by Trump.
“To be honest, the leader’s response and the use of the FBI against us is exactly why we created the message,” she said.
“He supports utilizing the US government to oppose those he views as opponents, and he’s not afraid to use the government agencies against people he disagrees with. He does not believe the rules govern his actions … which is precisely the reason we made the video, to offer reassurance that they weren’t alone as they observe these events develop.”
The Pentagon has also said it is conducting a review of claims of improper behavior against Kelly that could, it said, result in him being recalled to active duty to face court-martial proceedings.
