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Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona stated on Tuesday that Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth’s transfer to start a course of to demote and minimize his retirement pay “is about stifling folks’s speech.”
“This administration would not like what I say. Now they’re speaking about demoting me,” Kelly stated on “CBS Mornings.”
Hegseth stated on Monday that the Pentagon had begun a course of to demote Kelly and minimize his retirement pay over a video through which Kelly, a retired Navy captain, known as on service members to “refuse unlawful orders.” In a submit on X, Hegseth stated he had issued a letter of censure to Kelly, who served within the Navy till 2011. Kelly has pledged to struggle the transfer.
“I spent 25 years in the USA Navy, I flew 39 fight missions, I flew into house 4 occasions, all in service of this nation,” Kelly advised CBS on Tuesday. “The president did not like what I stated within the video and he stated due to that I ought to be hanged, executed, prosecuted.”
Kelly was certainly one of six Democratic lawmakers who launched a video in November urging service members and members of the intelligence neighborhood to defy “unlawful orders,” citing threats to the Structure. President Trump accused him and the opposite Democratic lawmakers of “seditious habits.” In a submit on social media, Mr. Trump additionally stated “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He additionally reposted “HANG THEM, GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!”
The Pentagon introduced in November that it was conducting a overview of misconduct allegations in opposition to Kelly to find out whether or not he ought to be recalled to lively obligation to face court-martial proceedings.
“Pete Hegseth goes to prosecute me beneath the Uniform Code of Army Justice for saying one thing that’s within the Uniform Code of Army Justice,” Kelly stated. “It is nonsense”
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