"The ruling was issued by Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. "This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees," Leon wrote in his opinion. "After all, as Bob Dylan famously said, 'You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.'""
"Kelly, a former Navy Captain, sued Hegseth in January, one week after the defense secretary moved to formally censure him for participating in a video where he and several Democratic lawmakers told U.S. servicemembers they can refuse illegal orders. "Our rules are clear. You can refuse illegal orders," Kelly says in the video. Hegseth has labeled Kelly's statements as "seditious""
A federal judge granted Senator Mark Kelly a preliminary injunction against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, blocking punitive actions tied to Kelly's political speech. Kelly sued after Hegseth moved to formally censure him for appearing in a video urging servicemembers they can refuse illegal orders. Hegseth labeled Kelly's statements "seditious" and announced a review of Kelly's retirement grade that could reduce rank and retirement pay. Kelly's lawyers argue those actions are unconstitutional and violate the First Amendment, with special protection for legislators on public policy. Judge Richard Leon found the defendants trampled Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened military retirees' constitutional liberties.
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