Two Democratic senators President Donald Trump has accused of sedition “punishable by death” have established legal defense funds in anticipation of FBI and Defense Department investigations, according to Internal Revenue Service records and interviews with their offices.
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona formed the “Senator Mark Kelly Legal Defense Fund” in Phoenix on Friday, the records indicate. Roy Herrera, a political law attorney and founding partner of Herrera Arellano LLP, is listed as the fund’s custodian.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, of Michigan, formed the “Senator Slotkin Legal Defense Fund” on Thursday in Washington, D.C., IRS records indicate. Steven Mele, a principal at MBA Consulting Group, a D.C.-based political compliance firm, is listed as the defense fund’s custodian.
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Both senators appeared in a video last month, along with four other Democratic lawmakers, telling military and intelligence community members they should refuse “illegal” orders. All the lawmakers in the video are military veterans or former intelligence officials — and urged military members and federal intelligence personnel to uphold their oaths to defend the Constitution and comply with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.