D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is reportedly bringing her office’s investigation to a close after a grand jury declined to indict six Democratic members of Congress over a controversial video urging service members and intelligence officials to “refuse illegal orders.”
According to NBC News, three individuals familiar with the matter said Pirro has chosen to stop pursuing the probe. Earlier this month, a grand jury unanimously declined to indict Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), along with Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA).
The investigation stemmed from a video released in November in which the six lawmakers — all of whom previously served in the military or the U.S. intelligence community — told those currently serving that they have a legal obligation to refuse unlawful orders from superiors.
The message sparked outrage from President Donald Trump, who forcefully condemned the lawmakers’ remarks. “IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY SAID!” Trump wrote days after the video was released. He also suggested that their actions might be “punishable by death.”
Pirro’s reported decision to seek indictments against the six Democrats drew widespread criticism from legal experts, who questioned the legal basis of the case. The grand jury’s unanimous refusal to indict was widely viewed as a significant setback for the prosecution effort.
Last week, The New York Times reported that Pirro had abruptly directed her office to pursue indictments against the lawmakers. “For reasons that remain unclear, Jeanine Pirro, a longtime ally of Mr. Trump, abruptly instructed her team to seek an indictment of the lawmakers, all of whom had served in the armed forces or the intelligence community,” the Times wrote.
According to the report, prosecutors within her office were then confronted with a difficult choice: “Comply or resist.” They ultimately chose to move forward with presenting the case to the grand jury. However, the panel declined to return indictments against any of the six lawmakers.
The decision effectively halts the case in Washington, D.C., though it does not necessarily mark the end of the legal road. The Department of Justice could still decide to pursue the matter in another jurisdiction.
The episode highlights the high-stakes political and legal tensions surrounding the video and its aftermath. While critics of the lawmakers argue their message crossed a line, supporters have maintained that advising service members to refuse unlawful orders reflects a longstanding legal principle.
For now, with no indictments handed down and the D.C. investigation reportedly ending, the focus shifts to whether federal prosecutors will let the matter rest — or attempt to revive it elsewhere.
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