The six lawmakers behind the “illegal orders” video are now getting calls from the FBI to schedule interviews — exactly what happens when you play fast and loose with rhetoric that targets the military chain of command. They’ve tried to spin the video as nothing more than a harmless PSA reminding service members they can refuse “illegal orders.” But anyone who actually watched it knows that’s nonsense. An order isn’t “illegal” just because a Democrat doesn’t like the president who issued it.
The message many people took away — correctly — was that these lawmakers were trying to undermine the president’s authority with the troops.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) blew up their flimsy defense even further by admitting the video was motivated by her dislike of President Donald Trump. So much for the “just a neutral PSA” storyline.
Here it is for a reminder:
Another member of the group, Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), went on CNN with John Berman and was asked point-blank whether he plans to sit for an FBI interview. His answer took some real gall. Instead of simply responding, he tried to spin the entire situation as an “intimidation” campaign meant to silence Democrats from “criticizing the president.”
He didn’t stop there. Deluzio even danced around the basic question of whether the FBI had contacted him at all, vaguely saying that’s what has been “reported.” It came off like he was trying to dodge the truth while playing the victim — and it didn’t help him in the slightest.
“I’m not planning to sit down for a voluntary interview,” Deluzio arrogantly told CNN.
Berman was surprised and asked the logical question, “Oh? Why not?”
Deluzio seemed shocked he was asked that, and it took him a couple of moments to respond. He said, “Well, everyone in this country has a right to refuse to do that. And I think that this is a clear attempt to intimidate us.” He also said he was a member of Congress, as though that meant he was above all this…and the law.
Um, pro tip: you don’t get to blow off the FBI just because you’ve convinced yourself you’re above the law — or because you want to pretend Trump is “intimidating” you. The Bureau is actually being polite by offering a voluntary interview first. If you refuse to sit down and explain yourself, don’t act shocked or start whining when they decide to use other tools to keep the investigation moving.
And if this video was truly just an innocent little “PSA,” then why isn’t Deluzio eager to talk? What’s he afraid of? Why is he dodging basic questions? What exactly is he trying not to answer?
I want to know exactly who helped organize this stunt and who wrote the “script” that Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) openly admitted was handed to him. If Deluzio’s evasive performance is any indication, the other five lawmakers will likely try the same dodge-and-delay routine when the FBI calls.
They may think stonewalling will stall the investigation, but that’s wishful thinking. The Bureau isn’t going to back off just because six Democrats don’t feel like answering questions about a video that reeks of sedition and seditious conspiracy.
