Florida Lawmakers Seek to Expand Stolen Valor Laws to Include Political and Business Gain
The website TaskandPurpose.com reports that Florida lawmakers are attempting to expand the state’s Slolen Valor Laws to include political and business gains.
It may be just me, but the current state law doesn’t seem to be deterring the amount of Stolen Valor cases coming out of Florida. What seems to be new is that it would be considered a felony.
State Rep. Anthony Sabatini is pushing for expansion of the state’s stolen valor law, making false claims of military service or awards for political and professional gain a third-degree felony.
Then, doesn’t the followign sound familiar?
One such occasion he frequently talks about while campaigning, Sabatini said, was Rosario’s 2016 bid for mayor.
Rosario admitted to exaggerating his military service when he put on his campaign website that he was awarded a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars.
Rosario had photos of himself wearing a Purple Heart hat and later said that he had applied for the medal. On the bronze star claims, his campaign said he’d been awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal, which has two small bronze-colored stars emblazoned on it — not the prestigious medal awarded to soldiers who showed heroic or meritorious achievement.
Voters in the city elected him mayor a few weeks later, though his tenure was marred with legal challenges to his eligibility to hold office because of a felony conviction and he was eventually removed by the city council.
Yes, those little bronze stars designating another award – separate and apart from the Bronze Star Medal (BSM). This is something that always gets past the goalie when talking to civilians that don’t understand the distinction, which is a huge one.
Oh well, we wish them luck and hope it passes and does a lot of good.
Category: Politics, Stolen Valor, Stolen Valor Act
Now all I need is to get my pos brother to move to Florida, then Wham! I could have his ass in prison where he belongs!! I will do all I can to get this bill passed!
Good for these State Congress Critters. IMO it ought to be a FIRST degree felony. This is a real good start. It is obvious that just negative publicity is not enough to discourage these Valor Thieves. Case in point being the ASSociation in Elko. Put a healthy fine, with maybe forfeiture of assets, some hard time in prison. If they put the healthy fine part on there, the bill will surely pass. Another revenue source that all politicos could love.
Y’all make sure you click on the linkies. There is another related story out of Wyoming/Montana on a phony baloney marine (small case intentional) that was fined 1.5 some odd million in a Stolen Valor. Made for a very good read. Thanks ‘Ed.
While I like it, I have a feeling this will get struck down by the courts as a violation of free speech. Political speech is the whole point of the First Amendment.
I’m willing to bet that APL has already been looking for an Attorney.
Already has been.
See US v. Alverez ( https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-210d4e9.pdf )
That was the case that ended the 2005 version of the Stolen Valor Act.