The case against six Democratic lawmakers for urging military and intelligence personnel not to comply with unlawful orders on social media has been dropped by Jeanine Pirro’s office. A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. had previously rejected the attempt to indict lawmakers, indicating that the government lacked probable cause to bring charges.
Critics argue that the move was a political attack on free speech and an example of the erosion of guardrails during the Trump administration. The lawmakers, who have military or intelligence backgrounds, were accused by President Donald Trump of being “traitors” but were ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
Legal experts say that while Pirro’s office has abandoned its pursuit of the case, it’s unclear if a federal prosecutor could try to bring charges in another court district. Former Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the importance of preserving the independence of prosecutors and warned against interference from the White House.
President Trump had publicly praised Pirro’s efforts and praised her as “in a class by herself,” but she never publicly linked her office’s case to him or his administration. Despite this, critics accuse Trump of using the Justice Department to punish perceived enemies and undermine free speech.
The lawmakers have vowed not to be intimidated by such attempts and will continue to do their jobs despite the controversy.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jeanine-pirros-office-shelves-pursuit-democrats-social-video-sources-s-rcna259783