TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A billboard along Interstate 10, just west of Valencia, credited to veteransforpeace.org, was placed to show solidarity with Sen. Mark Kelly after he received a censure letter from Defense Department official Pete Hegseth.
VIDEO: Watch below as I visit the site of the billboard.
The display references a video Kelly recorded with five other lawmakers in which they urged military personnel not to follow illegal orders.
The sign is a public expression of support as the controversy over the video and the censure continues to draw attention.
On Jan. 5, Hegseth issued a formal letter of censure to Kelly after Kelly participated in a video urging service members to refuse unlawful orders. Hegseth called the video “reckless and seditious,” saying it undermined good order and military discipline, and said Kelly’s statements—he alleged—characterized lawful military operations as illegal and encouraged refusal of lawful orders.
The censure is a formal administrative step that can be placed in Kelly’s military personnel file and was coupled with a review of his retired rank and pay; Kelly has protested the action and has challenged it in court. He also issued a public response last month, which you can view here on the KGUN 9 youtube channel.
