By Zachary Cohen, NCS
(NCS) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth introduced Monday that the Pentagon is taking administrative motion to punish Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, by transferring to cut his retirement pay for collaborating in a video the place he and different Democratic lawmakers reminded U.S. service members of their responsibility to refuse unlawful orders.
Hegseth stated in a put up that the U.S. military has initiated proceedings to scale back the quantity of retirement pay Kelly receives and has issued a secretarial letter of censure, which might stand as a written reprimand however don’t have any sensible penalties for the Arizona Democrat.
“In response to Senator Mark Kelly’s seditious statements — and his pattern of reckless misconduct — the Department of War is taking administrative action against Captain Mark E. Kelly, USN (Ret),” Hegseth posted. “The department has initiated retirement grade determination proceedings under 10 U.S.C. § 1370(f), with reduction in his retired grade resulting in a corresponding reduction in retired pay.”
NCS has reached out to Kelly for remark.
Behind closed doorways, Hegseth has been weighing his choices to punish Kelly for collaborating within the video, starting from lowering the retired U.S. Navy captain’s rank and pension to prosecuting him below military regulation, NCS has reported.
In the video that triggered the Trump administration’s calls for penalties, six Democratic lawmakers stated that “threats to our Constitution” are coming “from right here at home,” and repeatedly urged the military and intelligence group to “refuse illegal orders.”
Although the video didn’t reference what orders service members could be receiving that might doubtlessly be unlawful, lawmakers on each side of the aisle have raised considerations repeatedly in regards to the legality of U.S. military strikes towards suspected drug boats within the Caribbean and the U.S. military’s deployment to cities over the protest of governors.
Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated final month it’s not applicable for the military to strive to punish Kelly.
Asked by NCS if it’s applicable to achieve this, Wicker shook his head. And after a observe up query, he replied, “You asked me that question, and my answer is no.”
In November, Hegseth requested recommendation from the Navy secretary, who oversees the military department Kelly served in for greater than 20 years, on how to proceed to doubtlessly punish him for collaborating within the video, which Hegseth has claimed amounted to critical violations of the military’s code of justice. In the video, Kelly acknowledged what the military code requires members of the service to do.
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