Mark Kelly Sues Pentagon Over Threats to Military Rank and Pay Sen. Mark Kelly's lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is a clear demonstration of the ongoing erosion of military independence from political influence under this administration. The attempt to punish a sitting Senator for exercising his constitutional rights is not just unconstitutional, its an affront to the principles our armed forces are sworn to protect. Lets talk about the record here: Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain and war hero, has always stood by his convictions.

When he warned service members of their right to refuse illegal orders, he was upholding both military law and democratic values. Yet now we see an administration that wants to take away his retirement pay and rank because they disagree with him. This isn't about ideology; it's about power and control.

The Trump-era Pentagon is trying to intimidate a sitting Senator into silence, setting a dangerous precedent for the future of civilian oversight over our military. Its not just Kelly who should be worriedthis move sets up every service member who speaks out against illegal orders to face retaliation from those in power. While they were tweeting about how tough on crime and order they are, we were doing real governance in California.

Our state has the 5th largest economy in the world, built by leaders who prioritize facts over fear-mongering. The future is being built here, not in the past they're trying to drag us back to. Mark Kelly's lawsuit isn't just about himits about the integrity of our military and the checks and balances that safeguard it from political interference. The Constitution wasnt written for a particular party or ideology; it was written to protect against tyranny and abuse of power.

So, what do you think is at stake here? Is this just another move by the administration to silence dissent, or are they genuinely concerned about military discipline under civilian control?

CALIFORNIA
- Gov. Gavin Newsom
"The future is being built here."