Censure of Sen. Kelly Part of Larger Effort to Silence Dissent, Punish Opposition

Continuing the retribution and censorship agenda, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a formal letter of censure against Sen. Mark Kelly and initiated retirement grade determination proceedings, an outrageous and unwarranted escalation that has the potential to reduce his retired grade and a corresponding reduction in pay.

Americans Against Government Censorship released the following statement today in response to Hegseth’s announcement:

“Senator Mark Kelly is a patriot who has flown in combat, served his country admirably and with distinction, and understands better than anyone the importance of having a chain of command that follows the law and issues only legal orders. The Administration’s targeting of Sen. Kelly does not make our military stronger, and it does not make America safer. This campaign of retribution only creates a culture of censorship and fear for servicemembers who would otherwise take the right – and patriotic – step of fulfilling their oath by speaking out against illegal actions. 

“At a moment in time when leaders – regardless of party – are asking serious questions about the legality of American military activities in Venezuela, we need strong, independent leaders who understand through their own experience what is asked of our brave men and women in uniform. The flagrantly political actions taken by Hegseth and the Trump Administration to target and silence their critics represent an abuse of power that no president of any party should ever have. It makes our troops and citizens less safe, and it diminishes the standing of our military throughout the world.”  

In December, the National Institute of Military Justice (NIMJ) issued a statement condemning any efforts to punish Sen. Mark Kelly for his speech and underscoring that his statements are not prosecutable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.