"Mark Kelly thought he was merely stating the obvious. Earlier this month, the Arizona senator joined five other congressional Democrats to film a message addressed to members of the military. "You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders," they said. An ordinary president, Kelly told us on Tuesday afternoon, would have responded to the video by affirming that troops should of course follow lawful orders. "But not this guy," he added. "We basically said, 'Follow the law.' And he said, 'Kill them'.""
"The former Navy pilot and astronaut took to social media with a group of fellow Democrats last month to urge the public to peacefully resist President Trump's placement of troops in U.S. cities and to "step up for the country we all love." Like so much else that members of Congress push online to connect with voters or stump for campaign funds, their video ahead of nationwide 'No Kings' protests in October generated little national buzz."
Senator Mark Kelly and five Democratic colleagues filmed messages urging servicemembers to refuse illegal orders and to peacefully resist domestic troop deployments. The outreach followed earlier calls opposing President Trump's placement of troops in U.S. cities and preceded 'No Kings' protests. A later message coincided with U.S. strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats whose legal validity was questioned. The videos were intended as digital plays to generate views but triggered President Trump's suggestion of trying and executing lawmakers, a wave of violent threats, and a Defense Department review that could recall Kelly to active duty and court-martial him.
Read at The Atlantic
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