The Defense Department’s Case Against Mark Kelly Is Even Dumber Than It Sounds
Slate • • nation
Key Points:
- Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, faces a campaign led by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to punish him for urging service members to refuse unlawful orders, a move widely seen as legally baseless and politically motivated.
- Kelly and other Democratic lawmakers released a video emphasizing the constitutional right and duty of military personnel to disobey illegal orders, without mentioning President Trump, whose actions at the time made the message politically charged.
- Trump condemned the video as "sedition" and called for severe punishment, while Hegseth issued a formal letter of censure that could lead to Kelly’s demotion, loss of benefits, or court-martial, though legal experts argue these actions lack merit.
- Kelly has
