Az House Reignites Fight Against ‘Stolen Valor’ Claims Following Senate Blockade

A controversial bill aimed at penalizing individuals who falsely claim military service or honors has once again passed the Arizona House of Representatives. The bill’s future in the Senate, however, remains uncertain.

House Bill 2030, introduced by Republican Rep. Walt Blackman, seeks to classify impersonating a veteran to obtain employment, government contracts, or benefits as a class 4 felony. Blackman, a U.S. Army veteran from Snowflake, had previously seen the bill unanimously passed by the House. Yet, it faltered in the Senate when it was assigned to the Judiciary and Elections Committee, where Chairwoman Sen. Wendy Rogers, a Republican from Flagstaff, declined to bring it to a vote.

Rogers and Blackman represent the same northern Arizona district but have had a contentious political rivalry. Rogers backed Blackman’s opponent in the last GOP primary, intensifying their feud. Blackman ultimately won, defeating Steve Slaton, who had falsely claimed to be a Vietnam veteran. Allegations surfaced that Slaton altered his DD214 document to suggest service in Vietnam, although he had only served in Korea in 1974.

In recent discussions, Blackman accused Rogers of stifling the legislation to protect Slaton, while Rogers argued the bill lacked constitutional validity. A similar federal law from 2005 faced parts being deemed unconstitutional due to First Amendment violations. Blackman claims to have crafted his bill to specifically target fraudulent claims for benefits, aligning it with existing laws against fraud in Arizona.

On Wednesday, the House passed a significant amendment to the bill previously approved by the Senate. Despite initial unanimous support for the earlier version, this amendment garnered only one dissenting vote from Rep. Alex Kolodin, a Republican from Scottsdale, who argued it criminalizes lying in the context of elections. Kolodin expressed concerns about expanding the bill’s scope, which states those convicted would be barred from holding public office.

Blackman vehemently defended the bill, emphasizing that it centers around the sacrifices of military personnel, and not politics. “This has nothing to do with political speech. This has to do with blood, sweat, and tears men and women left on the battlefield,” he asserted passionately. His comments prompted some of his Republican colleagues to criticize Kolodin for his dissenting vote.

The bill will now advance to the Senate for a final vote. Both Blackman and Sen. Shawnna Bolick, whose original bill was amended in the House, noted that Senate President Warren Petersen has assured a final vote will occur. If the Senate approves the bill, it will then reach Gov. Katie Hobbs, who will decide whether to sign or veto it.