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The Democratic congresswoman and former Air Force captain who joined five other lawmakers in a viral video advising military members to refuse the president's illegal orders has shared multiple voicemails supporting her position.
Six veteran Democratic lawmakers posted the video. caused sharp reproach from the president Donald Trumpwho called them “traitors”, as well as the Minister of War Pete Hegsethwho asked Navy Secretary John Phelan to formally review one senator's comments in a video clip.
Representative Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvaniawho represents Chester and Reading counties, shared numerous messages praising her and her colleagues for “protecting” service members during what participating lawmakers said were difficult times to serve the public.
The government chooses. Miki Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger take a selfie with Rep. Christina Houlahan. (Vin McNamee/Getty Images)
Some callers were not voters, including veterans from as far away as Fairbanks, Alaska. Others said they were from Philadelphia, Reading, West Chester, Phoenixville and Berwyn, Pennsylvania, as well as Baltimore, Maryland, Carlsbad, California and elsewhere.
They also identified themselves by their military records, including Marine Veterans, Infantry Veterans, Wounded Warrior, Gulf War Veteran and descendants of World War I, World War II, Vietnam and Korea.
“I’m not a voter,” said one. “I veteran“
“Thank you for being a strong supporter of our service members,” said another.
“I just want to tell her I appreciate her comments and they are right,” a third caller said.
Addressing the video's quote directly, another veteran said they were grateful to Hoolahan for “letting them know it's okay to question orders that seem wrong or illegal.”
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Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., was interrupted by Capitol Police while questioning House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, during a House Republican news conference. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“I'm with you. I'm behind you.”
“You receive the support and gratitude of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Thank you. That's all I can tell you. Thank you very much. You are making the Commonwealth very proud. I’m so proud of all six of them for making this video,” several callers added in an edited summary excerpt.
“I will continue to speak for you because you continue to speak to me,” another told Houlahan.
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In response, the White House said Democrats such as Houlahan were unable to list any examples of unlawful orders issued by Trump or the Pentagon when asked.
“Because they weren’t,” White House press secretary Abigail Jackson said.
“It should be deeply concerning to all Americans that elected Democrats are publicly calling on the military to openly defy the chain of command and the lawful orders of the Commander in Chief in order to subvert the will of the American people,” she said.
Hoolahan said Tuesday that The FBI contacted us to the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms who maintain order in the Capitol galleries, asking for video interviews with lawmakers.
“President Trump “is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress,” she said.
“No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and upholding our Constitution,” Houlahan said.
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“We will never be bullied. We will never abandon ship,” she said, quoting a line from the video spoken by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat.
The most famous deputy in the video, senator. Mark KellyArizona State, has since been in connection with the upcoming investigation To Pentagonaccording to the documents.
Kelly, a retired Navy combat pilot and astronaut, is in a separate category of “retired” requiring 20 years of service rather than “former,” a status that allows the Pentagon to recall him for disciplinary action that could include loss of rank or other penalties.
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Hegseth called Houlahan, Kelly and the others the “rebel six,” and his office released a statement saying all “military personnel are reminded that under the UCMJ they have a legal obligation to obey lawful orders and that orders are considered lawful.”
“A service member's personal philosophy does not justify or condone disobedience to a lawful order,” the War Department said.
Hoolahan spent two years on active duty in the Air Force from 1989 to 1991 and spent the rest of her career in the reserves until her discharge in 2004.
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Her father was a naval aviator, and she was born at NAS Patuxent in Saint Mary's, Maryland.
Five of the six lawmakers shown in the video also reportedly received bomb threats at their offices after the video was released.
Slotkin, Houlahan and Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colorado, and Chris DeLuzio, D-Pa., received threats against their Capitol Hill office, while Rep. Maggie Goodlander—the wife of Obama national security adviser Jacob Sullivan—received a bomb threat at her local office in Concord, New Hampshire, according to in Newsweek.
