Chrissy Houlahan

Chrissy Houlahan is a Democratic lawmaker who, along with several other Democratic representatives, participated in a video released in November urging members of the military to refuse illegal orders. This video drew the ire of then-President Donald Trump, and subsequently, the Department of Justice investigated Houlahan and her colleagues, including Elissa Slotkin, Mark Kelly, Jason Crow, and Maggie Goodlander. Federal prosecutors sought an indictment against the lawmakers, but a grand jury in Washington D.C. declined to indict them. The investigation and the grand jury's decision are newsworthy because they highlight a potential instance of political retaliation by the Trump administration against perceived political enemies, and the limits of executive power when faced with judicial oversight. The case underscores the ongoing debate about the role of the military and the legality of orders, and the rights of lawmakers to express their views on such matters.