WASHINGTON — Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said she's being investigated by federal prosecutors after she participated in a video with other Democratic lawmakers urging members of the military and the intelligence community not to follow illegal orders.
Slotkin said in a video statement Wednesday that she found out about the probe last week from the office of “former Fox host” Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, who asked to interview her “because of” the 90-second video.
“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. “It’s legal intimidation and physical intimidation meant to get you to shut up.”
“No, I’m not going to do that because this president does not represent the views of a majority of Americans. Even if you voted for him, I do not believe that his vision of America is shared by a majority of Americans,” she added. “This country is worth fighting for.”
Pirro’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Slotkin, a former CIA officer who served in Iraq, is not the only lawmaker who participated in the video to face an investigation following its release in November.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a retired Navy captain and astronaut, on Monday sued over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's effort to censure and demote him for what the Defense Department described as “seditious statements” in the video. Kelly called the Pentagon's move “unlawful and unconstitutional.”
Trump previously blasted the Democratic members of Congress in the video, accusing them of committing “seditious behavior.” He said in November that their actions were “punishable by death” but later walked back the remarks, saying he was not threatening them with death but did believe that they are “in serious trouble.”
Other lawmakers who participated in the video include Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Jason Crow of Colorado.
Crow has also been contacted by federal prosecutors from the Justice Department, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Responding to Trump’s comments at the time, Slotkin said that she received threats immediately and that Capitol Police told her she would be put under 24/7 security.
NBC News reported this week that Pirro, a Trump ally, opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, a frequent punching bag for Trump as he calls for lower interest rates. Powell said Sunday that the Justice Department was threatening the Fed with possible criminal indictment over his testimony before Congress last year about the renovation of the central bank's offices.
