Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., filed a lawsuit Monday against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon for trying to censure and demote him.

Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, asked a federal judge to block the Trump administration from disciplining him for a video warning about illegal military orders.

Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, asked a federal judge to block the Trump administration from disciplining him for a video warning about illegal military orders.

WASHINGTON >> U.S. Senator Mark Kelly sued U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today, saying Pentagon proceedings to demote the Arizona Democrat from his retired Navy captain rank violated Kelly’s free speech rights because he urged troops to reject unlawful orders.

Sen. Mark Kelly is suing the War Department and Secretary Pete Hegseth over efforts to demote him and cut his military retirement pay after comments on illegal orders.

Sen. Mark Kelly is suing the War Department and Secretary Pete Hegseth over efforts to demote him and cut his military retirement pay after comments on illegal orders.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is suing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon, over efforts to censure and demote him.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly has sued the Pentagon over attempts to punish him for his warnings about illegal orders.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly sued the Pentagon on Monday over attempts to punish him for his warnings about illegal orders, claiming the Trump administration trampled on his constitutional rights to ...

The senator's lawsuit asks a federal judge to declare that the Trump administration's response to him railing against "illegal orders" is what's "unlawful."

WASHINGTON - Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense, alleging Trump administration officials violated his First Amendment rights and the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause for members of Congress, one week after the Pentagon started the process of downgrading the senator and former Navy captain’s rank and pay grade. Key facts - The Arizona senator filed a 46-page complaint in the federal District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, about one week after Kelly vowed to “fight this with everything I’ve got.” - The complaint accuses the government of punishing Kelly for protected speech under the First Amendment. - Hegseth said he began the process to downgrade Kelly’s rank and pay in retirement after the senator appeared in a video alongside other Democratic elected officials in November that encouraged military members to “refuse illegal orders.” - The suit says Kelly’s statements in the video were protected by the Speech or Debate Clause, the clause…