The Chamberlain Network Strongly Opposes the Pentagon’s Escalatory Investigation Into Senator Kelly

Atlanta, GA — This week, the Department of Defense announced an investigation into Senator Mark Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy Captain, and suggested they might recall him to active duty to be court-martialled. This is a response to a video by Senator Kelly and other veterans in Congress, speaking out about long-standing principles of lawful military conduct.

While the President has the right to disagree with the video's message, the Pentagon’s reaction sends a chilling signal to veterans across the country. By citing statutes designed for wartime sabotage and signaling the extraordinary possibility of recalling a member of Congress, the President is using the power of the military to suppress free speech. Threatening military prosecution against an elected official for expressing their opinion breaks norms that safeguard our democracy, and threatens the apolitical role of our armed forces. As with the President’s recent violent rhetoric against these lawmakers, this escalation undermines America’s values.

“Veterans who step into public service should not have to fear that their military status will be held over their head to keep them silent,” said Chris Purdy, CEO and Founder of The Chamberlain Network. “Weaponizing the military’s legal system against political critics, of any party, risks eroding the trust that underpins both civilian oversight and military professionalism.”

The Chamberlain Network urges Congress to speak up with one voice and prevent the weaponization of the military against those who would speak out against this administration. We must also, as a nation, reaffirm the values that keep our democracy strong: that the military must remain above partisan conflict; that lawful authority, not political pressure, guides our armed forces; and that no veteran or elected official should face retaliation for articulating the principles embedded in their oath.