Trump Admin Intensifies Kelly Probe; Pardon Twist

In a significant escalation of political tensions, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has formally ordered the Secretary of the Navy to investigate Arizona Senator Mark Kelly. The directive, issued Tuesday, targets “potentially unlawful comments” Kelly made in a recent social media video alongside other Democratic lawmakers, deepening a standoff between the Trump administration and congressional figures.

Defense Secretary Targets Senator Kelly Over “Unlawful Orders”

Secretary Hegseth’s command arrived via a memorandum to Navy Secretary John Phelan, instructing him to review remarks made by Senator Kelly and a cohort of fellow Democrats last week. The video in question sought to remind active-duty service members and intelligence personnel of their inherent right to refuse orders deemed unlawful. Hegseth explicitly requested a comprehensive brief from Phelan on the matter, setting a deadline for review by December 10.

“Unlawful Orders” Comments Under Scrutiny

This latest development follows a statement from the Pentagon on Monday, which indicated an ongoing investigation into Senator Kelly for potential breaches of military law. The core of the controversy revolves around the lawmakers’ assertion regarding the refusal of unlawful orders, a principle fundamental to military justice but now under intense scrutiny by the Trump administration.

FBI Contacts Congress Amid “Seditious Behavior” Claims

Former President Donald Trump has publicly accused Kelly and his colleagues of “seditious behavior” for their comments. Senator Kelly, a former astronaut and Navy captain, has vehemently denied the allegations, countering that the U.S. president is leveraging the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a “tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress.”

Adding weight to Kelly’s claims, a recent statement from the group of lawmakers—which includes Representatives Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire—confirmed that the FBI had indeed reached out to the House and Senate sergeants at arms. These requests sought interviews with the involved congressional members, signaling a direct federal inquiry into their actions.

Trump’s Pardons May Cover 2020 Voter Fraud

In a separate but equally significant legal development, legal experts suggest that Donald Trump may have inadvertently granted a sweeping pardon to any citizen who committed voter fraud in 2020. This potential outcome stems from his earlier decision to pardon Rudy Giuliani and other allies for their efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election.

Symbolic Federal Pardons, State Charges Remain

The pardons extended to Giuliani and others involved in the “fake elector” scheme earlier this month were largely symbolic at the federal level. This is because the federal government had already dismissed its criminal cases against these individuals once Trump’s presidency concluded. However, many of those who received federal pardons continue to face criminal charges at the state level, where these presidential pardons hold no legal sway.

These two distinct narratives underscore a period of profound legal and political contention, from the Trump administration’s aggressive pursuit of its critics to the lingering, unforeseen implications of its past executive actions.

Source: The Guardian