{"id":2513140,"date":"2025-11-21T11:24:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T16:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-demand-constitutional-guardrails-for-venezuela-operations\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T11:25:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T16:25:42","slug":"democrats-demand-constitutional-guardrails-for-venezuela-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-demand-constitutional-guardrails-for-venezuela-operations\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats demand &#8216;constitutional guardrails&#8217; for Venezuela operations"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-demand-constitutional-guardrails-for-venezuela-operations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2513140&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Five House Democrats, led by Rep.Seth Moulton, are pushing legislation to impose constitutional limits on U.S. military operations in Venezuela. This move comes after former President Donald Trump threatened sedition charges against Democratic veterans in Congress who criticized his <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >unauthorized airstrikes targeting alleged narcoterrorist drug trafficking vessels<\/a> near Venezuela. The lawmakers argue that these 21 strikes, which have killed at least 83 people since September, represent an illegal and unauthorized war effort.They also condemned trump&#8217;s rhetoric accusing lawmakers of sedition and calling for their imprisonment or worse. The Democrats emphasize the importance of lawful military orders and constitutional oversight to prevent executive overreach and unnecessary conflict. Additionally,a DOJ memo cleared <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-orders-military-wide-stand-down-to-address-white-supremacy-extremism-in-ranks\/\" title=\"Pentagon ... ...-Wide \u2018Stand-Down\u2019 To Address \u2018White Supremacy,\u2019 Extremism In Ranks\">service members involved<\/a> in the strikes from criminal liability,a conclusion some Democrats found unconvincing. The broader goal is to restore legal and constitutional &#8220;guardrails&#8221; on U.S. military actions in the region.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Democrats demand &lsquo;constitutional guardrails&rsquo; for US operations in Venezuela after Trump threatens sedition charges<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2409263\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Five House Democrats, led by Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/seth-moulton\/\">Seth Moulton<\/a> (D-MA), said on Friday they are attempting to restore &ldquo;constitutional guardrails&rdquo; to U.S. military operations targeting <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/venezuela\/\">Venezuela<\/a> after President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> threatened sedition charges against Democratic veterans in Congress.<\/p>\n<p>During a press conference on Capitol Hill, the lawmakers <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3894749\/watch-live-house-democrats-push-to-cut-funding-for-venezuela-operations\/\">announced legislation<\/a> designed to cut funding for U.S. operations in or against Venezuela, including the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3881546\/details-us-strikes-targeting-alleged-drug-vessels\/\">lethal airstrikes<\/a> on boats allegedly trafficking drugs and being operated by narcoterrorists. The 21 strikes ordered by Trump have killed at least 83 people since early September.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3894749\/watch-live-house-democrats-push-to-cut-funding-for-venezuela-operations\/\">WATCH LIVE: House Democrats push to cut funding for Venezuela operations<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3894358\/rise-censures-highlight-hyper-partisanship-house\/\">Rise in censures highlight hyperpartisanship in House: &#8216;God-awful mess&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3894605\/nydia-velazquez-house-2026-retirement\/\">Nydia Velazquez, first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress, announces 2026 retirement<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Moulton and others called the strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific regions part of Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;unauthorized war&rdquo; in Venezuela.<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a> &ldquo;has repeatedly shown disregard for the military process,&rdquo; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve ignored dozens of court orders, fired hundreds of military lawyers, and gutted critical expertise within our Armed Forces.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>While the press conference was largely concerned about the bill intended to end funding of U.S. operations aimed at Venezuela, the House Democrats in attendance also criticized Trump for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/115582703277798715\">accusing lawmakers<\/a> of &ldquo;seditious behavior&rdquo; and suggesting they should be dead.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Given the president&rsquo;s track record, we have no choice than to take President Trump at his word because he has shown time and time again that when he threatens to abuse his power, he acts on it,&rdquo; Houlahan added. &ldquo;This kind of discourse fosters an environment where overreach and lawlessness become more likely, not less likely, and where the risk of being drawn into an unauthorized war and conflict grows, which is why we are here today, restoring constitutional guardrails at a moment when it is urgently, urgently needed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenatorSlotkin\/status\/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1990774492356902948%7Ctwgr%5E9c86ed2095e780affbc501ab21877ce8ec4048ee%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3893490%2Ftrump-blasts-seditious-democratic-veterans-truth-social%2F\">video posted<\/a> on Tuesday, Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elissa-slotkin\/\">Elissa Slotkin<\/a> (D-MI) and five other lawmakers urged military and intelligence personnel to disobey unlawful orders issued by the Trump administration. They did not specify what orders they were referencing.<\/p>\n<p>Houlahan, who served in the Air Force, was among the six lawmakers with a military or intelligence background who participated in the video.<\/p>\n<p>A media firestorm ensued when Trump responded to the video on Truth Social. He called<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/115582451169685243\"> <\/a>for their <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/115582451169685243\">imprisonment<\/a> on sedition charges and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@P78\/posts\/115580255469225519\">reposted comments<\/a> suggesting they should be hanged. In making the initial post, Trump cited the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3892669\/democratic-veterans-congress-unlawful-orders\/\"><em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&lsquo;s reporting<\/a> on the video.<\/p>\n<p>A federal charge of seditious conspiracy is punishable by fines and imprisonment of up to 20 years. Therefore, capital punishment is not considered a penalty for sedition. It is, however, a penalty for the related charge of treason.<\/p>\n<p>Service members have a duty to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-blasts-seditious-democratic-veterans-punishable-by-death\/\" title=\"... blasts &#039;seditious&#039; ...: &#039;Punishable by death&#039;\">refuse unlawful orders<\/a>, as they are only required to follow lawful orders under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. If they follow illegal orders, they can face criminal prosecution.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Your oath is to the law, not to any one man,&rdquo; Moulton said. &ldquo;That is the foundational principle of our democracy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When Trump threatens lawmakers for stating that simple fact, that&rsquo;s not just incendiary rhetoric,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;It undermines our Constitution and our troops. Also, threatening the lives of members of Congress is, in fact, against the law. It should be no surprise that Trump is threatening lawmakers at the same time as he has ordered thousands of American service members to deploy to the Caribbean.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Moulton and Houlahan were joined by Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Eugene Vindman (D-VA), and Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) at the press conference on Friday morning.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3893884\/democrats-slam-trump-post-call-punishable-death-elected-officials\/\">DEMOCRATS SLAM TRUMP&rsquo;S &lsquo;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR&rsquo; POST AS A CALL FOR THE &lsquo;EXECUTION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS&rsquo;<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a recently disclosed classified memo, the Justice Department&rsquo;s Office of Legal Counsel <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3884502\/doj-memo-us-troops-safe-prosecution-smuggling-boat-strikes\/\">concluded that service members<\/a> involved in the drug airstrikes are not liable to criminal prosecution. Vindman called the legal opinion &ldquo;wholly unconvincing,&rdquo; while Moulton called it &ldquo;completely ridiculous.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The legal opinion was drafted in July, weeks before the lethal strikes in the Caribbean started. The scope of the operations was later expanded to the Pacific Ocean, and strikes on land targets to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-names-official-to-help-reverse-trump-era-immigration-policies\/\" title=\"Biden Names Official To Help Reverse ...-Era Immigration Policies\">combat drug trafficking<\/a> may be the Trump administration&rsquo;s next course of action.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats seek constitutional limits on US Venezuela actions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2513141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP20043631430758.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[67478,3685,50813],"class_list":["post-2513140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-constitutional-guardrails","tag-democrats","tag-venezuela-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP20043631430758.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2513140"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2513144,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513140\/revisions\/2513144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2513141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2513140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2513140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2513140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}