Sen. Elissa Slotkin says feds are investigating her after military video
Sen. Elissa Slotkin responds to federal inquiry by DC prosecutor
The Michigan Democrat issued a video response on social media refusing to back down from what she calls political intimidation from the Trump administration.
FOX 2 - Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin said she is being investigated by federal prosecutors in the wake of a video she participated in months ago, urging military members to refuse illegal orders.
The backstory:
Slotkin said last week she received an inquiry from US Attorney Jeanine Pirro's District of Columbia office.
She said it is the latest attempt at intimidation by President Donald Trump's administration, following an FBI inquiry from the counter-terrorism division she received late last year.
The Democrat first-term senator wasted no time firing off a response video on social media Wednesday.
"This is Trump's playbook, the facts don't matter, and anyone who disagrees with him becomes an enemy," Slotkin said. "And he then weaponizes the federal government against them. It's legal intimidation and physical intimidation meant to get you to shut up."
The video featured Slotkin and five others with military backgrounds, restated the code of military justice telling service members to reject illegal orders.
The Trump administration has not issued illegal orders to date, but has deployed National Guard troops to various cities around the US in a crackdown on crime and illegal immigrants.
Critics have blasted the moves as an egregious abuse of power, while the video by Slotkin and others earned praise and criticism from the separate sides of the aisle.
At best, some Trump supporters derided the military orders video as alarmist political theater. At worst, it sparked an avalanche of threats — including from Trump himself, posting on social media suggesting it was an act of sedition punishable by death.
"As a result of the president's tweets, threats went through the roof," she said in her latest video. "We had over a thousand threats come in, over a hundred were deemed credible and are being investigated. I went on 24/7 security from Capitol Police."
Slotkin said she had received a bomb threat, her parents' home was swatted in the middle of the night and that her siblings needed "cop cars placed in their driveways."
Related:
- Trump threatens Slotkin, other members of Congress with jail time over video to military
- Bomb threat at home of Sen. Elissa Slotkin days after sedition accusations by President Trump
- Slotkin responds to Trump threats: 'I just don't think this is the America we want'
"This president does not represent the views of a majority of Americans," Slotkin said. "Even if you voted for him, I do not believe his vision of America represents the views of a majority of Americans.
She said she isn't backing down anytime soon.
"This country is worth fighting for, our freedom of speech is worth fighting for," she said. "Our core values are worth fighting for. And right now, speaking out against the abuse of power is the most patriotic thing we can do."
The Source: Information for this report is from Slotkin's video and prior reporting.