Larson Blasts Disgraceful FBI Inquiry into Democratic Lawmakers for Exercising First Amendment Rights

East Hartford, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson released the following statement after the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division notified six Democratic lawmakers that they were launching an inquiry into them – Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Reps. Jason Crow (CO-06), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06). These investigations come after President Trump called for their arrest and prosecution for appearing in a video exercising their freedom of speech. The President has suggested that their actions should be “punishable by death.”    

“If the United States Congress speaking its will as a co-equal branch of government is now considered sedition and terrorism by President Trump and his henchmen, then we are entering a new surge of authoritarianism,” said Larson. “I stand firmly with my four colleagues in the House, and the two United States Senators, who as former members of the military and Intelligence communities, spoke vociferously about servicemembers’ constitutional rights and responsibilities. As they pointed out, we take an oath of allegiance, not to any President of the United States, but to the Constitution. Donald Trump might think he can use the FBI to scare my colleagues into silence, but it will not work. We the people will not be intimidated.”