by Ethan Faverino | Dec 13, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
A group of Republican military veterans in Congress, led by Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), has introduced H.Res.932 to denounce what they describe as “dangerous and seditious rhetoric” from six Democratic lawmakers.
The resolution accuses the Democrats of encouraging members of the U.S. military and intelligence community to defy orders from the Commander-in-Chief, potentially violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
The measure, co-sponsored by 27 representatives, including freshman Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08), highlights a video posted on November 18, 2025, in which the targeted Democrats—Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), Rep. Christopher Deluzio (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)—urged service members to resist “illegal” orders.
The resolution argues that such statements, made without evidence of unlawful directives from the Trump administration, undermine the constitutional chain of command and place troops at risk.
“Congressman Hamadeh has joined sixteen fellow military veterans in Congress in condemning the six Democratic legislators who engaged in wildly inappropriate and potentially seditious conduct by encouraging our military and intelligence personnel to defy their commander-in-chief for political purposes,” stated the Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh in a tweet on December 4, 2025.
Rep. Zinke echoed these sentiments in his own announcement: “Today, @RepRickCrawford and I, joined by 16 fellow veteran lawmakers, introduced a resolution condemning the Members of Congress who publicly urged our military and intelligence professionals to refuse orders from the Commander in Chief. By encouraging personnel to independently judge the legality of orders, these individuals are promoting disobedience for political purposes and at the peril of our service members, without being able to point to a single piece of evidence of illegal orders being issued. The U.S. military code is clear on this, and as veterans themselves, they all should have known better.”
The resolution emphasizes core constitutional principles, noting that the President’s role as Commander-in-Chief is enshrined in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. It also cites UCMJ Article 92, which criminalizes the failure to obey lawful orders, and warns that encouraging insubordination is a federal offense.
The document points out that orders are presumed lawful unless “obviously unlawful,” and criticizes the Democrats for insinuating otherwise without proof.
When pressed for evidence of unlawful orders from President Trump, Senator Slotkin admitted she was “not aware of things that are illegal,” with other participants in the November 18 video making similar concessions.
Despite this lack of proof, the group claimed the Trump administration is “pitting the military and intelligence community against American citizens.”
The resolution concluded with, “The House of Representatives denounces the dangerous and seditious rhetoric spewing from these six Members of Congress that has led to an environment placing troops and their loved ones at risk of harm, compromising and undermining the national security of the United States and the peaceful coexistence and respect deserved by our brave men and women serving in the military and the intelligence community.”
In a follow-up tweet on December 6, 2025, the Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh urged caution: “The Congressman’s Democratic colleagues should be more careful when making incendiary accusations about the conduct of our military and law enforcement personnel. These performative confrontations may be good for their fundraising, but they’re not good for our country.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Dec 3, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) blasted Democrat Senator Ruben Gallego for posting what he called a “profanity-laced” video on X defending the controversial “Don’t give up the ship” message to U.S. service members. The message, released November 19th, also featured Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
In the ad first posted by Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Sen. Kelly is seen with Slotkin and Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA). Kelly is addressing “members of the military” directly and stating, “This Administration is pitting our uniformed military,” against the American people and advising that “from right here at home: our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.”
Many Republican critics, including President Donald Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Rep. Eli Crane and have argued that Kelly’s comments violated the law governing conduct of former service members still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Kelly is now under investigation by the Department of War (DOW), which stated in part, “In accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other applicable regulations, a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures.”
Gallego released a 55-second video in a post to X on November 24th in which he stated:
“This is f***ing insane. We should all point out how f***ing insane this is. Hey, this is Ruben Gallego. I’m traveling through Arizona right now and I just received the news that the Department of Defense is starting an investigation against my seatmate Mark Kelly. This is f***ing insane. We should all just point out how f***ing insane this is. And you know: these guys are trying to say that they’re not acting like fascists. They’re not trying to give as much power to this president as a King. And they should start …stop acting like it. Mark Kelly is a patriot. There’s no reason why they’re going after him. He was doing his duty and just reminding people about their rights as service members.
And you know: Secretary Hegseth, all these guys: f*** you guys.
You’re not going to scare us. We have a right to defend the Constitution of the United States. We have a right to tell other service members that they have a right to ignore illegal orders. And you’re not going to intimidate us.”
In a statement posted to X on Friday, Rep. Crane blasted Kelly for his comments and Gallego’s attempts to defend them.
“Ruben, in your profanity laced video you state that there is no reason that this administration is going after Senator Kelly. You are either lying or unaware of 18 U.S.C. § 2387 in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This section prohibits inciting or abetting mutiny or sedition in the U.S. armed forces. Sedition is speech or conduct that incites rebellion or insurrection against a government or authority. I have noticed how the group who made this video have all agreed publicly that no unlawful orders have been given. They have then all stated that it’s just a reminder to our armed forces of their rights and responsibilities.
As servicemen ourselves we are both aware that all servicemen and women are already trained and educated of these rights and responsibilities in basic training. If the intention of your colleagues was solely to remind our service members of their rights and responsibilities then why didn’t they make this video when Joe Biden was CIC? You remember him right? The guy who didn’t know where he was half the time and who could barely string together a coherent sentence. The fact of the matter is that we all know why the video was made. If/when Senator Kelly is recalled to active duty for a court martial the American people will get educated themselves regarding the UCMJ and the provisions within it to deter this very conduct.”
In a post to Truth Social on November 20th, President Trump responded to the video, writing: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” In a follow-up on November22nd, President Trump wrote, “THE TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS SHOULD BE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW, NOT ROAMING THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT WHAT THEY SAID WAS OK. IT WASN’T, AND NEVER WILL BE! IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME. THERE CAN BE NO OTHER INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY SAID!”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Dec 2, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Congressman Abe Hamadeh warned that Senator Mark Kelly’s advice to military members to refuse “unlawful” orders amounted to blackmail.
Hamadeh added in a statement on X that Kelly had jeopardized military readiness with this vague, alleged threat.
“By suggesting there ‘could’ be severe consequences for carrying out undefined ‘unlawful’ orders, the ‘Seditious Six’ are emotionally blackmailing our active-duty personnel,” said Hamadeh. “They want them to hesitate before protecting the American people. Reprehensible.”
Last month, Kelly and five other Democratic members of Congress with military and intelligence community backgrounds issued a call to action to the military to stand down on “illegal” orders from President Donald Trump.
This group — dubbed the “Seditious Six” by Hamadeh and other Republicans — indicated that some orders from Trump and his administration violated the laws or the Constitution and were therefore illegal.
“We want to speak directly to members of the military and the intelligence community who take risks each day to keep Americans safe. We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now. Americans trust their military. But that trust is at risk,” said the elected officials. “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home. Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.”
The others in the “Seditious Six” are Senators Elissa Slotkin (MI) and Representatives Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan (PA), Maggie Goodlander (NH), and Jason Crow (CO). Slotkin posted the video.
Hamadeh claimed Kelly and the other elected officials were intentionally ambiguous about which orders from Trump were allegedly illegal.
“The reason Democrats refuse to name what they consider to be illegal orders by President Trump is that they want our military and intelligence community to question every order they receive from this administration,” said Hamadeh. “They want to make our active-duty personnel hesitate to execute the agenda voted for by the American people, paralyzing these men and women with the threat of future punishment.”
After the release of the video, Slotkin admitted she couldn’t name any military orders by Trump which were illegal.
“To my knowledge, I’m not aware of things that are illegal but certainly there are some legal gymnastics going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything going on with Venezuela,” said Slotkin in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” segment.
Slotkin clarified later in the interview that the video was primarily meant for addressing the use of the military within American cities.
“So, it was basically a warning to say, like, if you’re asked to do something particularly against American citizens, you have the ability to go to your JAG officer and push back,” said Slotkin.
President Trump said Kelly and the Democratic members within the video had committed “seditious behavior.” He called for the six to be arrested and put on trial, and reposted another user’s commentary (since deleted) that called for hangings.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 7, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate rejected a Republican-backed short-term funding measure to reopen the government for the 14th consecutive time. Arizona’s Democratic Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego joined all Democrats in voting against the measure.
The 54-44 vote fell short of the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster, extending the partial government shutdown into its 35th day and tying the record for the longest in U.S. history with the 2018-2019 shutdown. The shutdown began Oct. 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass full-year appropriations bills.
Video footage from the Senate floor, shared by Arizona Rep. Eli Crane (R-CD02), shows Kelly casting his “no” vote during the procedural tally. Gallego also voted against the bill, consistent with the Democratic caucus position.
Crane wrote, “If you or anyone you know is impacted by the ongoing government shutdown, I want you to see something. Today, the Senate voted for the 14th time to end the shutdown. For the 14th time, Senators Kelly and Gallego voted NO. See for yourself:”
The measure, passed by the House last week on a party-line vote, sought to avert immediate furloughs for non-essential federal workers and maintain operations amid disputes over spending priorities. Democrats have blocked the stopgap 14 times, citing the absence of extensions for Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits set to expire at year’s end.
Kelly, in remarks after the vote, indicated potential progress in bipartisan negotiations. “Maybe we’re moving,” Kelly told reporters. “We’re closer to the end of this than we are to the beginning,” as reported by the Huffington Post.
Gallego’s office reiterated the senator’s prior stance that Republicans, who control the White House, House, and Senate, hold the leverage to end the impasse but have refused bipartisan talks to protect ACA subsidies and avoid middle-class tax hikes embedded in GOP proposals. “We can reopen the government, get federal workers their backpay, and prevent health care costs from skyrocketing, but only if my Republican colleagues come to the table,” he claimed per the AZ Mirror.
Moderate Democrats met on Wednesday to explore an off-ramp amid signals from both parties of emerging talks. The Senate’s official roll call record for the 119th Congress confirms the vote tally and individual positions.
Federal agencies, including those impacting Arizona, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and national parks like the Grand Canyon, remain affected, with over 2 million civilian workers on unpaid furlough or working without pay.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Warren Petersen | Nov 1, 2025 | Opinion
By Sen. Warren Petersen |
Americans are fed up with the endless partisan chaos pouring out of Washington, D.C. For too long, radical extremists have hijacked our government—stalling progress, undermining confidence, and jeopardizing the American Dream for future generations.
Instead of restoring faith in our republic and passing a clean continuing resolution, Democrats have decided the best idea to survive the second Trump administration is to shut down the federal government, hurting families nationwide and risking our nation’s stability and security. Unfortunately, thanks to the Democrats’ obstinance, this shutdown is quickly becoming one of the lengthiest in our country’s history.
The Democrats’ shutdown, brought about by their pursuit of extremist policies is reckless. According to the Republicans on the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, the Democrats’ counter proposal included free health care for illegal aliens, electric vehicle access to HOV lanes, taxpayer-funded criminal defense, liberal news programs, DEI projects in foreign countries, and Biden administration grant policies and COVID-era subsidies. These policies rank among the most radical ideas from the left—part of a broader plan to disregard the will of the American people in the General Election of 2024 and continue their transformation of our nation away from the principles that have made the United States the strongest and most prosperous in world history.
Their actions have jeopardized paychecks and services across the country. Families, small businesses, and seniors are being squeezed by the 2025 federal government shutdown. According to the White House Council of Economic Advisors, states would see a decline of billions of dollars of their gross state product each month during the shutdown, thousands of workers would find themselves unemployed weeks away from the holiday season, and Social Security benefits by check would be delayed.
It’s important to note these are just a few of the catastrophic issues facing everyday Americans due to the Democrats’ shutdown shenanigans. The Democrats have compromised pay to our brave men and women who serve in our military and on the front lines of our border. Rather than doing their job, most U.S. Senate Democrats, including Arizona’s own Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, have voted twelve times (and counting) to obstruct efforts to reopen the government. This is shameful, but Democrats feel no shame in their blindly partisan rampage to hurt their own constituents. U.S. House Democrat Whip Katherine Clark put her party’s position best when she said, “I mean, shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer…. But it is one of the few leverage times we have.”
Worse yet, though, America’s enemies are watching for any opportunity to exploit our weaknesses. China, Russia, and other adversaries are studying this shutdown as they look for ways to take down the world’s greatest superpower. The leaders of these nations see the Democrats’ extremist desires and how those policies conflict with efficient operations to keep America running. They read the stories about the family members of our troops wondering how they might pay bills and put food on the table the longer the shutdown continues, hurting the morale of our military in a critical time for the world. Our enemies are not stupid or ignorant. They are recalculating and recalibrating thanks to the radical left.
Despite these clear and present dangers, Democrats are doubling down on their decision to shut down the government, creating spectacles to distract from harms their antics impose on everyday Americans. One of the top sideshows Democrats have exploited this month is the election of Adelita Grijalva to fill her father’s seat in Arizona’s Seventh Congressional District. Because the U.S. House of Representatives has not been in regular session since her victory, House Speaker Mike Johnson has not had the opportunity to swear her in to office. These facts, however, have not stopped Democrats from harassing Speaker Johnson and other Republicans over this continued vacancy (for legitimate reasons they are alone responsible for). Even Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes got in on the “fun,” transmitting a letter to the Speaker to threaten legal action if Grijalva was not allowed to assume her position immediately. While Democrats know Grijalva will certainly be sworn in to office, her vacant seat has been used for political fodder.
Americans are not amused, nor are they fooled. A recent poll from YouGov/The Economist showed that more respondents than the week prior blamed Democrats for the shutdown, and that a majority trust Republicans for economic issues. Hardworking men and women around the nation are disgusted with the never-ending partisan games being played at their expense. They want results and the promise of a brighter future for their children and grandchildren—not one-sided political standoffs that jeopardize the happiness, safety, and security of countless families.
This shutdown is not about helping Americans; it’s about defending unpopular priorities like protecting welfare programs for illegal immigrants. It is time for Democrats—both in Congress and across the nation—to end the political games and put hardworking Americans first. Time is of the essence. Let’s open the government and get back to work!
Warren Petersen is the President of the Arizona State Senate and represents Legislative District 14.
