Gov.-elect Sherrill blasts ‘abuse of power’ as feds go after NJ-born Sen. Kelly

🔴 FBI and Pentagon target video by lawmakers — including NJ native Sen. Mark Kelly — sparking outrage over political intimidation.

🔴 Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill slams Trump administration for “abuse of power” and defending Kelly as a hero who knows the law.

🔴 NJ ties take center stage as a constitutional showdown erupts over “illegal orders” and alleged sedition.

New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill came out swinging Monday after federal authorities moved toward investigating U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. — a former astronaut, Navy combat pilot and New Jersey native — for appearing in a video reminding U.S. troops that they must refuse illegal orders.

The Trump administration responded by having the Pentagon review the West Orange native for possible violations of military law and by having the FBI contact Congress to schedule interviews with all six lawmakers who appeared in the clip.

Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, blasted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as “the most incompetent and unfit” in U.S. history, calling the move against Kelly “another abuse of power.”

“This is a reminder that Hegseth himself should heed,” she said, defending Kelly as a decorated veteran and Jersey son who “served our country with distinction.”

FBI inquiry fuels fear of political retaliation

According to lawmakers, the FBI’s counterterrorism division emailed them to open what appears to be a formal inquiry, a step they say is designed to intimidate. President Trump accused the group of sedition, writing that such offenses are “punishable by DEATH.”

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, also featured in the video, called the inquiry a “scare tactic.” All six lawmakers involved previously served in the military or intelligence fields.

What’s in the video at the center of the storm

In the social media video, Kelly tells troops: “You can refuse illegal orders.” Legal experts say this is not controversial because troops are already required to reject unlawful commands. Kelly’s long military career, which began here in New Jersey, has made him a respected voice on military ethics.

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