Pete Hegseth cuts the pension and strips Senator Mark Kelly of his military rank, because he — a democrat— had the audacity to disagree with the Trump regime.

femme_mal@mstdn.social

@randahl Hegseth's move isn't just a violation of Kelly's First Amendment free speech rights as well as an effort to deter compliance with military code.

It's a violation of the Constitution's Article 1, Section 6 Speech or Debate clause which protects members of Congress while doing their work. This same clause protected Sen. Mike Gravel in 1971 when he read the Pentagon Papers into the record.

lucyruthe@mastodon.social

@randahl

Dear Senator Kelly,

Please wear this "official" rebuke as the greatest possible badge of honor from a dishonorable and illegitimate administration.

You are not one of them and we applaud you.

osteopenia_powers@newsie.social

@femme_mal
It’s fascinating that Hogsbreath notes that status as an elected Constitutional Officer does not protect Kelly. Put a pin in that.

@randahl

femme_mal@mstdn.social

@Osteopenia_Powers @randahl Funny how Hegseth doesn't note that the DoD is a function of the Executive Branch while Kelly is acting in his capacity within the separate but equal Legislative Branch of government.

DoD has zero power over Congress.

3dogcouch@mas.to

@randahl #Democrats should initiate impeachment of Whiskey Pete.

caymanpilot@mastodon.social

@xs4me2 @randahl
Well he had the rape thing too which probably weighed well for him with Trumpolini

caymanpilot@mastodon.social

@randahl
If only all of the US military would publicly proclaim their obligation to only follow legal orders

xs4me2@mastodon.social

@CaymanPilot @randahl

Hegseth is a drunk, and a wife beater, a man that never should be in that position. But he and Trump are birds of a feather... disgusting.

pattyhanson@mastodon.social

@Savvyhomestead @cav @randahl These actions, documented on video, are meant to instill fear in all who dare speak up.

It doesn't matter if what *they* are doing is illegal or violates someone's 1st amendment rights. They don't care. Their goal is to make ppl so afraid of being arrested they won't say anything & it's working.

The fear is real & valid. People get arrested, lose their job or have to spend $ to hire an atty & get out of jail. That's what the regime is counting on. Fear Works.

caymanpilot@mastodon.social

@randahl
I have to wonder if the clown Hegseth is familiar with the UCMJ. It's pretty damn clear that service members are required to carry out legal orders and to refuse illegal orders. This administration is just a criminal act in progress

caymanpilot@mastodon.social

@randahl
Too bad no one in the previous administration didn't have the balls to recall Bannon and Flynn then court martial them both

bzdev@fosstodon.org

@randahl If Democrats get control of the House and Senate in this year's election, Pete, if not impeached, convicted, and forgotten, might find himself spending the following two years being grilled in various hearings. If that happens, he may wish he had taken a thankless job debugging AI-generated code.

muzicofiel@mastodon.nl

@randahl a spoiled child playing with power. #marckelly #hegseth

rlounsbury@indieweb.social

@randahl Pete Hegseth is despicable.

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Pete Hegseth cuts the pension and strips Senator Mark Kelly of his military rank, because he — a democrat— had the audacity to disagree with the Trump regime.