Mark Kelly Insists His Remarks Were ‘Non-Controversial’ as Pentagon Investigates His ‘Illegal Orders’ Comment

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) insisted his controversial remarks to military personnel were “non-controversial” on Monday after the Pentagon announced it was investigating the senator.

During an appearance on MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Kelly insisted, “I said something that was pretty simple and non-controversial, and that was that members of the military should follow the law, and in response to that, Donald Trump said I should be executed, I should be hanged, I should be prosecuted.”

“He even went on and said something about, ‘Go get them,’ I guess sending a mob to round me and the other folks up,” the senator continued. “I think it says a lot more about him than it says about me. He doesn’t want accountability. But Rachel, I’m not gonna be silenced, I’m not gonna be intimidated.”

The Pentagon announced it was launching an investigation into the senator on Monday after Trump protested that Kelly and the other five Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video urging military personnel not to follow illegal orders “should be in jail right now.”

In a statement warning that Kelly, a former U.S. Navy officer, could be recalled to active duty and court-martialed, the Pentagon advised military retirees against interfering “with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces.”

Kelly responded, “I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution.”

Watch above via MS NOW.