U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell claimed that members of the U.S. military have told him they can serve as a constitutional safeguard against President Donald Trump.
The California Democrat, who just announced his run for governor of the state, told Don Lemon that he has heard from service members declaring they can be a “check” on the president. The discussion comes as the meltdown continues over criticism of a video posted by lawmakers urging service members to “refuse illegal orders” from the president.
Swalwell claimed the Trump administration exposed its intention by targeting Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, whom the Pentagon announced Monday was under investigation for his part in the video.
Swalwell concurred with Lemon that the GOP and the administration appear to be telling the military to “ignore the Constitution.”
“To me, the only reason you’d go after Mark Kelly if he’s telling soldiers, ‘You don’t have to follow an unlawful order’ — and they don’t — is if you intend to carry out unlawful orders,” the Democrat said. “If you don’t intend to carry out unlawful orders, why do you care that somebody would say that?”
“What gives me hope, and I talk to service members all the time. They tell me that I don’t appreciate enough and the public doesn’t appreciate enough that while Congress is not a check on the president anymore, and the judiciary at the Supreme Court is hardly a check, military members have told me, ‘We can be a check,'” Swalwell told the former CNN host.
“They’re essentially saying, ‘We’re not going to betray our oath to the Constitution because this guy tells us to.’ While it’s not codified that way — they’re not a branch of government on their own— their honor and integrity might just save us,” he added.
During an appearance on MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, on Monday, Swalwell attacked Trump for “throwing a tantrum” over the video.
“The president is throwing a tantrum here in making these threats because he has made illegal orders in the past,” he claimed.
“Remember in his first term, where he asked his military members why he couldn’t just shoot protesters. He clearly, illegally, you know, aimed a mob at the Capitol after Jan. 6, and I have a lawsuit that he continues to face consequences for on that. And so, yes, he’s absolutely telling on himself in the way that he has reacted to this,” the clueless lawmaker claimed.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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