Iowa governor signs “Stolen Valor” Law
This bit of news from Iowa;
Gov. Terry Branstad on Thursday signed into law legislation that creates a criminal offense for anyone impersonating a decorated military veteran with the intent of deceiving others for monetary gain.
The so-called “stolen valor” bill makes it a criminal offense to impersonate a decorated military veteran with the intent to deceive another person for the purpose of any real or anticipated monetary gain.
The new crime is a serious misdemeanor punishable with a fine of at least $315 but not more than $1,875 and up to one year in prison. S.F. 397 defines a decorated military veteran as a former member of the U.S. armed forces who has been awarded any medal, decoration, badge, ribbon or button authorized by Congress or a military branch for meritorious service but struck language creating criminal offenses for falsely claiming receipt of certain military medals or decorations.
Good on Iowa. Other states like Nevada are also pushing their own stolen valor laws through their legislatures. New Zealand and Australia are also contemplating laws to combat phonies.
Category: Phony soldiers
Perhaps my Monster has not set in just yet but what wording change do these laws have that addresses the problems with the Federal version of the Stolen Valor act?
I haven’t deeply reviewed the federal statute (legal disclaimer) and I may be wrong, but the Iowa law is more specific in that it criminalizes impersonation for financial gain whereas the federal law does not.
IOW, it’s still legal (disgusting, but legal) to claim veteran/SV status in order to talk smack in the bar, etc., but not to obtain goods or services using said phony status.
So as I read it, what Strandlof/Duncan did was legal, provided he wasn’t compensated for his appearance. Although were I Governor Barnstead, I would have gone one step further and stated that anyone who falsely claimed veteran status, award, etc., could have a mudhole stomped in their ass, with the stomper not being charged.
We have freedom of Speech AND Expression, as I am told by the liberals. Given that; If I see someone claiming Bullshit service, or someone burning the flag in their use of constitutional freedoms, would I not have the right to “Freedom of Expression” in stomping their asses? Good for the goose, good for the gander thinking doesn’t work with libs though, does it?
That’d be a “roger” Frankie…