Chuck Schumer: “Yesterday, something happened in America that should send a chill down the spine of every American. A grand jury…”

“Yesterday, something happened in America that should send a chill down the spine of every American. A grand jury rejected the Justice Department's attempt to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video they posted telling military members not to follow illegal orders. The President of the United States tried to use prosecutors to silence the free speech of sitting elected lawmakers because he didn't like what they said. That is a line no President--no President--in modern American history has ever crossed. The video in question broke no laws. It simply urged members of our military to refuse unlawful orders, to honor the Constitution above any individual. What these Members of Congress said was not radical. It is embedded in the oath every servicemember takes. The only 'crime' committed here was refusing to bend the knee to Donald Trump. And when this administration tried to dress up retaliation as prosecution, a grand jury of Americans rejected it. Today, I just want to say how proud and grateful I am for my colleagues Senators Slotkin and Kelly, as well as Representatives Crow, Deluzio, Goodlander, and Houlahan. The entire Democratic caucus is proud of them--proud of their courage, their poise, their loyalty to our democracy and to our Constitution. Senate Democrats will not let this witch hunt go unanswered. The American people deserve to know whether prosecutorial power was misused--abused--for political ends.”