FBI HQ is reportedly pressuring its domestic terrorism agents to launch a seditious conspiracy investigation into the six Democrats who recently published a video calling on active duty service members to remember their oath to the Constitution and their duty to refuse illegal orders, according to Bloomberg.
The video — which featured Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), as well as Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Jason Crow (D-CO), all veterans of the military or former national security officials — set off an insane series of reactions by President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who have seized on the moment as an opportunity to carry out some of the retribution plans Trump’s been thirsting for since his first term. Trump even suggested on social media that the lawmakers should be punished with death by hanging. Hegseth is considering recalling Kelly into active service so he can be (baselessly) court martialed. The DOJ and FBI are conducting their own investigation into the lawmakers.
Several of the elected Democrats who have been targeted by Trump and his cronies’ absurd revenge mission have responded to the Bloomberg report with vows to not be intimidated by the escalating threats. Kelly posted a video on Twitter responding to the news in which he said that the retribution campaign against him and his fellow lawmakers is “not about us.”
“It’s about a president who doesn’t want anybody to say anything that he does not like,” Kelly said. “I don’t think he understands the Constitution. I’m serious about this. I think he is ignorant to the Constitution and the rule of law. And he just wants to silence us. And it starts with us.”
“We’ve seen this administration use these harassment tactics on the private sector, on law firms, on universities. I will not back down from speaking up for our country,” Slotkin said on Twitter.
Crow posted something similar, making it clear that Trump is the one “weaponizing the FBI” against his perceived political foes.
Three people familiar with the situation told Bloomberg that career officials in the FBI’s Washington Field Office have, at least for now, rebuffed the request for a seditious conspiracy investigation:
The Washington office supervisors cited a lack of legal and factual basis to initiate a criminal case against the senators and House members who posted a video Nov. 18 reminding service members and the intelligence community of their rights to “refuse illegal orders.”
Americans Blame Trump
New polling from Politico has found that many Americans, including Trump voters, blame the president for the affordability crisis sweeping the nation:
Almost half — 46 percent — say the cost of living in the U.S. is the worst they can ever remember it being, a view held by 37 percent of 2024 Trump voters. Americans also say that the affordability crisis is Trump’s responsibility, with 46 percent saying it is his economy now and his administration is responsible for the costs they struggle with.
GAO Responds to Dem Request to Probe Pulte
The independent and nonpartisan watchdog that works within the legislative branch, the Government Accountability Office, has reportedly opened an investigation into Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte in response to requests from Senate Democrats.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and others wrote a letter to the GAO comptroller in November asked the agency to “promptly investigate recent actions undertaken at the Federal Housing Finance Agency.”
“Specifically, we request an investigation into Director Pulte’s recent referrals of New York Attorney General Letitia James, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and Congressman Eric Swalwell to the U.S. Department of Justice for mortgage fraud,” they wrote.
In a statement to NBC News, a GAO spokesperson confirmed that the agency had accepted Dems’ request:
“I can confirm that GAO has accepted this request following our standard process,” a GAO spokesperson told NBC News.
“The first thing GAO does as any work begins is to determine the full scope of what we will cover and the methodology to be used,” the spokesperson added. “This can take a few months, and until that is done, we cannot provide any estimates on a completion date.
Who’s Gonna Tell Him?
The 2025 Golden Dukes Are Here
Trump II is so repulsive we had to make new categories! Welcome to the 2025 Golden Dukes award season. To all of you readers who submitted noxious nominations for the 17th annual Golden Duke awards, we thank you for your service. It’s not easy to sift back through the grime that’s caked atop the first year of President Trump’s second term to elevate and celebrate the scandals and the creeps who remind us of the real reason for the season (honoring depravity).
It’s time to vote! Cast your ballots here: Grifters, Ring-Kissers and Supporting Hatchet Men: It’s Time To Vote for 2025’s Golden Dukes
In Case You Missed It
NEW from Josh Kovensky: Feds Charge Virginia Man Over Jan. 6 Pipe Bombs
Trump Has Never Been Clearer About What an Immigration Judge’s Real Job Is
Morning Memo: Trump’s Lawless Rampage Is Only Accelerating
Great new piece from Layla A. Jones, out this morning: It Sure Looks Like the Trump Admin Is Prepping for SCOTUS To Demolish Its Tariff Policy
Yesterday’s Most Read Story
Don’t Overcomplicate the Scandal of Trump’s Lawless High Seas Attacks
What We Are Reading
RFK Jr.’s pick to reshape the childhood vaccine schedule embraces Covid conspiracy theories
Olivia Nuzzi’s Much-Hyped Book Was Always Going to Be Self-Serving. It’s So Much Worse Than That.
First!
Your moment of Zen.
This just in:
From a recent trip to my grocery store. Yes, those are the prices for a single roll of paper towels and 1 can of soda. #Trumpflation
boy that Nuzzi book sounds bad - like a 7th grader’s parody of On the Road