Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), one of six Democrats who appeared in a taped video message reminding military service members they can refuse illegal orders, accused the Trump administration of trying to intimidate her through the legal process.
"They really are using this legal intimidation, physical intimidation as well, but legal intimidation to sort of paper you over and get you to be quiet," Slotkin said in an interview on MS Now's "All In with Chris Hayes" on Thursday.
Hours earlier, the Michigan senator announced in a video on the social platform X that she would not sit for an interview with the Justice Department related to the "illegal orders" video.
Slotkin said both Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro had requested to speak with her, but she declined.
"The FBI and the Department of Justice opened up an inquiry on me in response to the president's tweets," Slotkin said, referencing a Truth Social post from Trump that called the video "seditious behavior, punishable by death."
"But at this point, I'm not going to be sitting down for this inquiry. I'm not going to legitimize their actions. The video we made was public. I've done a ton of public talking about it since then, including now, and our constitution is crystal clear on the issue of freedom of speech, something worth fighting for," she added.
Five of the lawmakers, all of whom have military or intelligence service backgrounds, confirmed in mid-January that they were being investigated by the DOJ over the 90-second video.
The others featured in the video were Sen. Mark Kelly (Ariz.) and Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.), Chris Deluzio (Pa.) and Maggie Goodlander (N.H.).
"You all swore an oath to protect and defend this constitution," the lawmakers said in the video.
"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," they added.
Slotkin also said Thursday that she requested that the DOJ retain its records on the case, and that she was "keeping [her] options open," including the possibility of "suing them for infringement of my constitutional rights."
She said that though the Supreme Court has granted presidents broad immunity for their conduct while in the White House, those same protections do not extend to "the people who are doing the president's bidding."
"I think it's important that people understand there can be consequences when you use this political, you know, when you politicize the federal government and the justice system."
Houlahan has also rejected the DOJ's request for an interview, she said Thursday.