First Amendment defenders line up against Stolen Valor Act

A number of free speech defenders have filed briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court contesting the constitutionality of the Stolen Valor Act. The briefs were filed in support of a Pomona, California water district board member who lied about receiving the Medal of Honor and 25 years of service in the Marines. -db From the [...]

Federal appeals court upholds Stolen Valor Act

After the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Stolen Valor Act unconstitutional in a separate case, the 10th Circuit upheld the law which prohibits lying about military awards. The opinion of the 10th Circuit judges cited a statement from a Supreme Court ruling that false statements do not get constitutional protection, “except to [...]

‘Stolen valor’ transgressions rile public

Few issues get the American public as perturbed as some fellow citizen, many pillars of their communities, claiming to have fought in Iraq or Afghanistan and to have received a military award for valor. So far the courts have ruled that laws punishing the deadbeats violate the First Amendment right to free speech. The U.S. [...]

Compromise in the works to save Stolen Valor Act

In an attempt to save the Stolen Valor Act and preserve the First Amendment, a Nevada congressman has introduced a law to require that for there to be a violation of the act, someone would have to lie about their military service for personal gain. First Amendment Center President Ken Paulson argues that the change [...]

Ninth Circuit refuses to reconsider ruling on ‘Stolen Valor’

A divided Nincth Circuit Court denied en banc rehearing on a decision striking down the Stolen Valor Act in the case of a man who had claimed falsely that he had served 29 years in the Marine Corps and was awarded the Medal of Honor. The dissenters said that there were Supreme Court precedents denying [...]

Federal judge in Virginia upholds Stolen Valor Act

In contrast to other federal judges, a U.S. district judge in Virginia ruled the Stolen Valor Act applied only to “outright lies” intended to deceive and so was not protected by the First Amendment. -db First Amendment Center January 6, 2011 By David L. Hudson Jr. The Stolen Valor Act, which makes it a federal [...]

Stolen Valor Act challenged on First Amendment grounds

An attorney for a Denver man who lied that he earned a Purple Heart and Silver Star when serving in the  military in Iraq claims the lies are protected speech under the First Amendment. -db The Denver Post January 20. 2010 By Felisa Cardona Rick Strandlof may have lied about being a decorated Iraq War [...]

Court hears arguments against government penalization of false statements

A federal court of appeals heard arguments this week on whether the government can impose criminal penalties on a man for falsely claiming he served in the military and earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. The man was convicted of violating the Stolen Valor Act which prohibits lying about military service. -DB Metropolitan News-Enterprise November [...]