Score one for the First Amendment: Grand jury refuses to indict six Democrats for their 'defy orders' video
News and commentary for Floridians and other thoughtful Americans
There’s an old saying that grand juries are so easily manipulated that a prosecutor could get them to indict a ham sandwich.
Except when that prosecutor is Trump stooge Jeanine Pirro.
Yesterday, a grand jury told Pirro to go fly a kite when she tried to indict six Democratic lawmakers for their video reminding members of the military they were allowed—even required—to ignore illegal orders, even those from the would-be monarch Donald Trump.
Pirro is the TV personality-turned-U.S. Attorney whom Trump appointed to lead the Justice Department’s office in the District of Columbia. A longtime Trump minion, she was supposed to punish the Democrats for exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech.
It’s all part of Trump’s and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s program to weaponize the Justice Department as a tool of political vengeance for the delusional 79-year-old commander-in-chief.
All six members of Congress are military veterans or former members of the intelligence community. Their 90-second video, released in November, reminded service members that their oath was to the Constitution, not to any politician.
The group consisted of Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, and Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, and Chrissy Houlahan. They released the video after Trump ordered a strike on Venezuela.
It read:
“We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now. Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens like us. You all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution.
“Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear, you can refuse illegal orders…you must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
For this act of defiance, Trump wanted them indicted. But a grand jury yesterday said no.
First Amendment 1. Ham Sandwich 0.
On Capitol Hill today
Former Florida attorney general and current Trump chief minion at the Justice Department, Pam Bondi, is appearing before the House Judiciary Committee today in a live televised hearing beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Expect her to be peppered with questions about the Epstein Files and why the DOJ redactions of the files appear to be giving cover for so many rich and famous friends of the deceased sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, says that when he searched for Trump’s name in the computerized version of the files that he accessed at the Justice Department yesterday, Trump’s name surfaced “more than a million times.”
J.C. Bruce is the founder of Tropic Press, a Florida online news service dedicated to sharing news and commentary relevant to Florida readers, whether it originates in the Sunshine State or elsewhere. Bruce is an award-winning former newspaper editor, journalist and author living in Florida, his native state.
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Over a million times? It become crystal clear that whatever Epstien had on Trump, it has to be seriously embarassing. I am in no way hoping that if we do find out, that it is something that no writer would ever consder in a novel because of the how absurd and unbelievable it would be. I would never want this monumental cover up be a million times worse than the actual act being covered up.