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Democratic veterans in Congress who released a video telling servicemembers they can refuse unlawful orders were ripped by Republicans, including by an Air Force veteran who pointed out how former President Joe Biden’s Pentagon discharged 8,700 servicemembers for refusing vaccine mandates.
Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, along with Reps. Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Jason Crow of Colorado and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire appeared in a video that informed servicemembers they could refuse unlawful orders, ostensibly from President Donald Trump.
Jennifer-Ruth Green, an Iraq War Air Force veteran and former Indiana state official running in her second attempt to oust Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Ind., slammed her fellow veterans in the video as highly hypocritical. Green is a Republican.
“I just want to point out that the thousands of service members who refused the ‘illegal order’ from Joe Biden that forced them to get the COVID vaccine were fired without their benefits and Democrats were perfectly okay with it,” Ruth-Green said on X.
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She followed up by singling-out Kelly – a retired astronaut and Navy combat pilot – after he appeared with former Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Fla., longtime host of “Morning Joe” on MS-NOW.
“First, Senator Kelly instructed our military to refuse the president’s orders. Now, he says they should contact their officers if they ‘feel’ an order is illegal,” Green said.
“Stop playing political games with our service members. An order is not illegal just because a politician doesn’t like it.”
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After Scarborough had said servicemembers would be “violating their oath” if they followed illegal orders, Kelly replied that they always have the ability to speak with their commanding officer about an order in question.
Kelly said concerned servicemembers can also confer with the Judge Advocate General (JAG) corps; lawyers within the military; on the legality of orders and similar concerns.
About 8,700 servicemembers were affected by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s order, according to UPI, which reported that Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in April those discharged would be invited to return to duty.
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In 2002, Green engineered the closest race for Republicans in the district – covering Democrat-heavy Gary and East Chicago, Ind. — in several decades; losing by six points.
The Kansas Republican Party echoed Green’s sentiments, saying in a statement that “Democrats ‘reminding’ servicemembers members they are allowed to disobey illegal orders with a wink and a nod had no problem forcing those same service members to take the COVID shot and follow orders that supposedly came from a president already exhibiting symptoms of dementia.”
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., was similarly critical of Democrats’ later response to President Donald Trump’s warning of treason that had led to what Slotkin and others said were threats against them in the aftermath.
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“They have engaged in seditious behavior,” Donalds said.
“That mess you heard over there about not being intimidated? No, the seditious behavior came from them when they launched their stupid video that nobody asked for.”
“Mister Crow and Senator Slotkin [are] not the commander-in-chief,” he later added.
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Deluzio said that after Trump “called for the arrest and death of me and several of my colleagues” he was “not going to be intimidated” and would continue serving the Allegheny Valley.
When Trump adviser Stephen Miller fired back at Democrats’ statements, Kelly responded directly, saying he had been shot at in combat and was at the Capitol when “your boss sent a violent mob.”
“I know the difference between defending our Constitution and an insurrection, even if you don’t.”
Crow said on social media that it was “telling” to see Trump believe “restat[ing] the law” is “punishable by death.”
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On Monday, the Pentagon announced it was investigating “Capt. Mark Kelly” for allegations of serious misconduct.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kelly, Slotkin and Houlahan for additional comment.
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