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Pentagon escalates investigation into Sen. Kelly

An aerial of the Pentagon
Tech. Sgt. Brittany A. Chase
/
Air Force
An aerial of the Pentagon on May 12, 2021.

The Pentagon is escalating its review of Arizona senator and naval veteran Mark Kelly into an “official command investigation.”

The Pentagon is reviewing comments made by Kelly, alongside other Democratic lawmakers with service and intelligence backgrounds, reminding active-duty military members that they can, and should, defy illegal orders.

In a statement shared with Punchbowl News, the Department of Defense announced Kelly is now under a command investigation for “serious allegations of misconduct.”

In a video posted to social media Monday evening, Kelly called the investigation an abuse of power.

“The United States has the most professional military in the world. What I don’t trust is Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth who have already shown they will stop at nothing and corrupt any process to make an example out of me,” Kelly said.

Command investigations can lead to a variety of actions, including court martialing.

“Frankly, this is complete bullsh-t,” Kelly said in a fundraising email. “Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth launched a sham investigation into me because I repeated something every servicemember is taught. That should send a shiver down the spine of every patriotic American.”

Kelly said comments about him by President Trump have led to an increase in death threats against him and his family.

Kelly said Trump’s own comments throughout the years are what prompted him and other Democrats to make their video.

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Camryn Sanchez is a senior field correspondent at KJZZ covering everything to do with Arizona politics.