Sen. Kelly information lawsuit in opposition to Hegseth over army censure – One America Information Community

[ad_1] <img decoding="async" width="800" height="534" src="https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FOR-WEBSITE-ARTICLES-7.png" alt="(L) U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to the media following a closed door briefing with senators on the U.S. the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at the U.S. Capitol on January 7, 2026 in Washington, DC. Maduro and Flores were taken to New York on January 3 after they were captured by the U.S. military in Caracas. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images) / (R) Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) leaves the Senate floor after speaking on January 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. Kelly spoke about the lawsuit he filed against United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's attempt to censure and demote him. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)" class="wp-image-753652" srcset="https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FOR-WEBSITE-ARTICLES-7.png 800w, https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FOR-WEBSITE-ARTICLES-7-400x267.png 400w, https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FOR-WEBSITE-ARTICLES-7-768x513.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"/> (L) U.S. Secretary of Conflict Pete Hegseth speaks to the media following a closed door briefing with senators on the U.S. Capitol on January 7, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Picture by Heather Diehl/Getty Pictures) / (R) Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) leaves the Senate flooring after talking on January 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. Kelly spoke in regards to the lawsuit he filed in opposition to United States Secretary of Conflict Pete Hegseth’s try to censure and demote him. (Picture by Heather Diehl/Getty Pictures)

OAN Workers Sophia Flores and Sani Unutoa7:42 PM – Monday, January 12, 2026

Senator Mark Kelly has taken authorized motion in opposition to Division of Conflict Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The retired Navy captain filed a federal civil lawsuit in opposition to Hegseth and different senior army leaders on Monday over threats to scale back his army pension and censure him.

Kelly (D-Ariz.) is going through potential disciplinary motion after showing in a video with a number of different Democrats telling troops to “refuse unlawful orders” following the Trump administration’s ongoing airstrikes on suspected cartel vessels within the Caribbean.

The lawmakers started the video, which is titled “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” by highlighting their background within the intelligence and army neighborhood, earlier than urging U.S. service members to “refuse illegal orders” and to “arise for our legal guidelines.”

“This administration is pitting our uniformed army and intelligence neighborhood professionals in opposition to Americans,” the lawmakers argued within the video.

“Proper now, the threats to our Structure aren’t simply coming from overseas, however from proper right here at residence.”

“Our legal guidelines are clear, you may refuse unlawful orders,” they continued. “It's essential to refuse unlawful orders. Nobody has to hold out orders that violate the regulation or our Structure.”

Hegseth issued a letter of censure to Kelly quickly after the video was posted on-line and began the method of demoting him and reducing his retirement pay.

Six weeks in the past, Senator Mark Kelly — and 5 different members of Congress — launched a reckless and seditious video that was clearly supposed to undermine good order and army self-discipline. As a retired Navy Captain who remains to be receiving a army pension, Captain Kelly is aware of he…

— Secretary of Conflict Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) January 5, 2026

Kelly’s lawsuit requires a judicial evaluation of the Division of Conflict’s actions.

The swimsuit says Hegseth’s censure will inflict “fast and irreparable hurt.”

“If permitted to face, the Secretary’s censure and the grade-determination proceedings that he has directed will inflict fast and irreparable hurt,” the lawsuit states. “The censure, the grade-reduction course of, and its inevitable consequence impose official punishment for protected speech, chill legislative oversight, and threaten reductions in rank and pay.”