Pentagon Appeals Order Blocking Sen. Mark Kelly’s Punishment for Call To Resist Unlawful Orders

Sen. Kelly said in a social media post that the only reason for Hegseth to appeal is to “keep trampling on the free speech rights of retired veterans and silence dissent.”

Democratic Senators Decry Indictment Attempt, Warning It ‘Could Break This Institution’

The episode has raised stark First Amendment questions about the potential prosecution of sitting members of Congress for their speech.

Judge Seems Skeptical of Legal Justification for Pentagon’s Punishment of Sen. Mark Kelly

The judge didn’t immediately rule from the bench on Kelly’s claims that Pentagon officials violated his First Amendment free speech rights.

Sen. Kelly Sues the Pentagon Over Attempts To Punish Him, Declaring It Unconstitutional

Kelly asked the federal court to rule that the censure letter, the proceedings about his rank and any other punishments against him are “unlawful and unconstitutional.”

Hegseth Censures Sen. Kelly After Democrats’ Video Urging Troops To Resist Unlawful Orders

Investigating and now punishing a sitting U.S. senator is an extraordinary move for the Pentagon, which until President Donald Trump’s second term had usually gone out of its way to act and appear apolitical.

Experts Doubt the Pentagon Can Punish Kelly Over the ‘Illegal Orders’ Video

The investigation was announced after President Trump’s social media post accusing Kelly — and the five other Democratic lawmakers in the video — of sedition “punishable by DEATH.”