Judge blocks US military from demoting Mark Kelly over 'illegal orders' video
AI Summary
A federal judge has blocked Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from demoting Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, over a video Kelly made urging service members to refuse illegal orders. Judge Richard Leon ruled that Hegseth's attempt to lower Kelly's rank was unconstitutional retaliation, violating Kelly's First Amendment rights and those of other military retirees. The lawsuit, filed in January, argued that the demotion was in response to Kelly's criticism of the Trump administration. The government argued the case should be handled through a military process, but the judge disagreed, emphasizing the constitutional rights of retired veterans. The video in question featured Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers, all with military or intelligence backgrounds, stating that service members can refuse illegal orders.
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