MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell on Tuesday reacted to President Donald Trump and his administration’s failure to indict six Democratic lawmakers for reminding active U.S. military service members in a video last year that they can and must refuse illegal orders.
The “Last Word” host discussed the development with Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) after a grand jury formally declined to indict Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.).
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“They sought to indict six members of Congress,” Schiff told O’Donnell. “It is just such a shock to see the rule of law so betrayed, so utterly betrayed. If we look at this period in the future and the milestones on the road to dictatorship, this is a big one.”
He continued, “To consider how this Justice Department has been misused, how it’s been weaponized in such a blatant fashion, and the fact that the grand jury rejected it, of course, is very significant because that’s so unusual. But it shouldn’t dissuade us or fail to have us appreciate the lawlessness of what they tried to do.”
Schiff added that it’s hard to express how dangerous this “frontal assault on the rule of law” really was. He argued the Department of Justice under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was “no doubt acting under the instructions” of Trump when the indictments were sought.
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The video itself appeared to merely echo the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which specifically states under article 92 that service members will be punished if they fail ”to obey any lawful order.” The six lawmakers, who are all veterans, took turns speaking.
Trump seemed to suggest that these were “seditious” remarks “punishable by DEATH!”
Tuesday’s failed indictment was the latest example of a grand jury declining to back charges brought by the administration against those who’ve angered Trump. Schiff told O’Donnell that their blunder “should be applauded,” but added a caveat.
“The fact they tried, though, is a five-alarm fire,” he said.