Politics Thwart Arizona’s Bill to Combat ‘Stolen Valor’ Claims

Arizona lawmakers are pushing forward with a proposal to impose criminal penalties on individuals who falsely claim military service or honors to obtain benefits. However, the initiative is encountering significant political obstacles, particularly among some Republicans.

House Bill 2030, which has already garnered unanimous support in the Arizona House of Representatives, would classify impersonating a veteran to secure employment, government contracts, or benefits as a class 4 felony. The bill, spearheaded by Rep. Walt Blackman, a Republican and U.S. Army veteran from Snowflake, was inspired by a contentious primary election involving Steve Slaton, a candidate who falsely claimed to be a Vietnam veteran.

Slaton’s controversial claims included alterations to his DD214 document, which records a veteran’s service. In reality, Slaton served only in Korea during 1974, never seeing deployment in Vietnam. Despite these fabrications, he received endorsements from notable Republicans, including Sen. Wendy Rogers and Sen. Mark Finchem.

Rogers, who chairs the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee—responsible for reviewing Blackman’s bill—has not scheduled a hearing for it. With a deadline looming for committee deliberations, the bill’s future is in jeopardy.

Attempts to engage Rogers or Finchem for comment on the situation have been unsuccessful. In response to the impasse, Blackman and supporters are exploring alternative methods to advance the bill, including proposing a strike-everything amendment to another piece of legislation.

Sen. Shawnna Bolick has allowed Blackman to attach a strike-everything amendment to her Senate Bill 1424, which successfully passed the Senate. This new amendment mirrors the blocked HB2030 text and was approved by the House Government Committee earlier this month. If it passes through the full House, Senate President Warren Petersen will ultimately decide its fate in the Senate.

“We need to stop playing politics and start doing what’s right by our veterans,” said Rep. Stacey Travers, a Democrat and Army veteran, at a recent press conference supporting Blackman’s bill. Her comments highlighted the bill’s substantial bipartisan backing, evident in its unanimous approval in the House.

Blackman has called on Petersen to either reassign the proposal from Rogers’ committee or push for a vote on the strike-everything version. Jim Muhr, a Vietnam veteran, expressed his disappointment with Rogers, urging Petersen to facilitate the bill’s progress. “It is a shame, it is a sin,” he stated, reflecting the frustration felt by many veterans.

While Blackman did not directly name Slaton, he suggested that personal dynamics might be complicating the bill’s progression. “I would say there are some personal reasons,” he commented when discussing Rogers’ possible motivations. The contentious history between Blackman and Rogers, coupled with her connections to controversial groups, adds further complexity to the situation.

This is not the first attempt to address impersonation of veterans for personal gain. A similar bill passed by Congress in 2005 faced legal challenges over its constitutionality. However, Blackman remains focused on refining the legislation to address impersonation without infringing upon First Amendment rights. “I am asking Senator Rogers and Senator Finchem to either get on board or get out of the way,” Blackman asserted, receiving enthusiastic support from the veterans around him.