Massachusetts legislature passes Stolen Valor Act
WWLP reports that the Massachusetts legislature sent their own Stolen Valor Act to the Senate for a vote on what they claim is the strongest Stolen Valor Act in the country;
“Even just standing on the corner with a sign that says ‘help me I’m a veteran,’ if they’re not a veteran that’s wrong. They shouldn’t be doing that,” [Eric Segundo, Sr. of the Massachusetts Veterans of Foreign Wars] said.
If the “Stolen Valor Act” is signed into law, anyone convicted of the crime would be punished by up to a year in jail or a $1,000 dollar fine, or both. We asked House Speaker Robert DeLeo whether the punishment fits the crime. He said, “I think that he found that was the most reasonable amount of time.”
Massachusetts joins a dozen or so states who have passed their own laws to stem the eruption of phonies across the country. As soon as the fake warriors discovered that federal prosecutors weren’t interested in passing the law there was an explosion of cases. Maybe the states can get a grasp on the problem if states’ attorneys figure out that lying about one’s military service is usually just one symptom of criminal behavior.
Category: Stolen Valor Act
Not that you can tell at the linked story, but this would be House Bill No. 1641, if anyone is searching for it.
I saw two yesterday in their look at me costumes. One on a moped and the other in a store. Moped had flags flying on a big box on the back that had stickers with all types of homemade veteran BS on it. Both were wearing costumes from the 80s.
I didn’t have time to talk to either of them. Getting ready for Veteran’s Day parades and free meals I presume.
HOOOOOOOOOAAHHHHH ,,,,,,
Wow, shocking to see Massachusetts doing something positive.
Hey I told you guys that even here in the Baystate otherwise known as the People’s Republic of Massachusetts (PRoM) we have respect for your service.
We get a lot wrong here, but we also get some shit right. Now I hope our dumbass senators and new Republican governor can get this done correctly.
Yeah, well, claiming you’re a Veteran in asking for a handout is not illegal. The Supreme Court spoke to this when it overturned the first SV law. You have a 1st A. right to lie. However, the moment someone gives you a dime or a soda, based on that lie, it is no longer protected speech.
Thought Massachusetts only prosecuted gun possession crimes?
I’ll believe they are serious when they actually prosecute someone. Laws which DAs don’t bother to enforce are just feel-good verbiage.
Having a law is merely election copy. “Voted FOR…blah.” “Protected veterans by sponsoring…blah, blah, blah.” the laws are meaningless w/o prosecution, as the Feds prove every week.