AZ Capital—Arizona Republicans and Democrats came together over Arizona’s first “Stolen Valor” bill, sponsored by AZ Rep. Blackman, only to have AZ Senator Wendy Rogers swat their efforts. The fate of the bill now rests with Senate President Warren Peterson.
HB2030 is a proposed law punishing people who lie about their military credentials. After a couple of days in office, Rep.Blackman introduced Arizona’s first ‘Stolen Valor’ bill with overwhelming support. On Jan. 5, he held a press conference and gave the details on the bill.
Rep. Blackman said the “Stolen Valor” issue has plagued Arizona, costing the state millions of dollars in fraud, waste, and abuse. He also mentioned that politicians who decide to run for office should be held to the litmus test.
During the LD7 2024 primary, Steve Slaton, owner of the Trumped Store in Show Low, claimed he was a decorated Vietnam War Combat Veteran. Mountain Daily Star and several Veteran organisations, such as Guardians of the Green Beret, Guardians of Valor, and Military Phonies, checked out Slaton’s claims and overwhelmingly determined Slaton did not serve in combat, did not serve in Vietnam, and wasn’t a Vietnam War Cobra pilot. He also did not earn several awards he claimed.
Although Slaton got caught, he and his biggest supporter, AZ Senator Wendy Rogers, who beat David Cook by just 4,000 votes in the 2024 general election, remain steadfast in supporting Slaton’s ‘war stories.’ This behaviour tarnished the Republicans and invited a wailing contest, further dividing the state of Arizona.
Slaton did not advance to the AZ general election, getting beaten by Walter Blackman and David Marshall. Both serve in the Arizona House, Legislative District 7—a vastly rural district with a primarily Republican base.
HB2030 was introduced into the AZ House and advanced with a bipartisan vote of 58-0, bringing Democrats and Republicans together in the Arizona House and online. Arizona politics is suffering, and the bipartisan support was a sense of healing because of the country’s intense divide. Lawmakers from each side of the aisle could mend some fences and stand together for all the constituents in Arizona, no matter their political affiliation.
“I often hear from my constituents that we need to come together—not as a political party, but as a state. The Arizona Stolen Valor Act does just that. It brings us together around the shared value of honoring those who have served,” said Rep. Blackman.
Putting all the controversy aside and standing together for our Veterans seemed to be the journey for HB2030. Legislative District 7 was on the path to healing over the Slaton “Stolen Valor” issue, and HB2030 was the answer. The bill would inoculate Arizona against future candidates who decide to lie to ‘We the People’ about “serving with Bo Gritz” or turn their MOS 92G (Food Service Specialist) into a “Special Forces Black Ops Mission.” The MOS 92G was an essential service to our soldiers and our country, and embellishing is unnecessary.
HB2030 was not put on the agenda once the bill made it to the Arizona Senate and Sen. Rogers’ Judiciary & Elections committee. There were a couple of weeks when the bill was stagnant. During that time, it reached several supporters and gained the endorsement of the Arizona Sheriff’s Association and many Veteran Organizations.
Armed Forces.
Due to HB2030 remaining stagnant in Sen. Rogers’ committee, Rep. Blackman took additional steps to ensure HB2030 would have a chance to be heard and incorporated a ‘strike everything’ bill- SB1424. A “strike everything after the enacting clause” amendment (also referred to as a “strike everything” amendment or simply a “striker”) proposes to delete the entire text of the existing bill and substitute new language, essentially making it a completely different bill, possibly on an entirely different subject. These amendments sometimes allow legislators to circumvent the deadlines on introducing new legislation, deal with an issue that arises after the deadline, or revive a previously defeated bill.
LD2 Sen. Shawna Bolick supports the “striker bill.” She gave the bill to Rep.Blackman so HB2030 could continue. She said, “It’s shocking to me that anyone would want to diminish the service of others to make a quick buck or to use it as coattails to run for office. I full heartedly support HB2030 in its original form, as well as SB1424. SB1424 now has a strike everything amendment with Rep. Blackman’s original bill that was unanimously voted out of the House.”
Supporters received word that Sen. Rogers’ Judiciary & Elections committee would hear HB2030 on March 26, 2024, at 1:30 pm. Several constituents watched online, and 70-plus Arizona Veterans drove from all over Arizona to the Arizona Capitol to voice their support for HB2030 and tell their stories.
The committee began late, and when it started, Sen. Rogers announced she would be ‘holding’ HB2030.
Rogers explained she would not be hearing the bill because Rep. Blackman had not responded to her staff’s request to amend it to ‘comport with Federal Law.’ The over 70-plus Veterans left the room, saying that Sen. Rogers’ actions were disrespectful to the Veterans who wanted to speak.
See letter to the Editor: From a Veteran who was at the Arizona Capitol
Rep. Blackman also addressed Senator Wendy Rogers’s recent objections. Rogers claimed the bill needed to “mirror federal law.” Blackman alleged that Rogers’s statements about him, such as that he was not willing to work with her, were false.
“Despite Senator Rogers’ assertion, this bill already mirrors federal law and stands on firm constitutional ground,” said Blackman. “If Senator Rogers had taken the time to read the legislation, she would see that her concerns were already addressed in HB2030 and incorporated into SB1424 through my adopted floor amendment. The suggestion that I have refused to collaborate is categorically false,” said Rep. Blackman.
As the committee was ending, Democrat AZ Sen. Analise Ortiz, serving LD24, attempted to move HB2030 for a due pass recommendation and a roll call vote.
Sen. Rogers published a statement that directly addresses HB2030 after the committee meeting. “Rep. Blackman refused to work with my staff on HB2030. I take this seriously, but have concerns Rep. Blackman ran this legislation to hamstring political opponents, rather than hold accountable those who engage in this type of fraud,” said Senator Rogers. “This bill would weaponize state government against federally regulated veterans who are already subject to the Stolen Valor Act of 2013. State government does not have access to records, including off the books combat operations.”
Considering Sen. Rogers’ statement, “Rep. Blackman ran this legislation to hamstring political opponents, rather than hold accountable those who engage in this type of fraud.” Veterans contacted Mountain Daily Star asking questions about this statement: Is Sen. Rogers referring to Steve Slaton? If so, how can one person’s deceit change the dynamics of a bill pertaining to the entire state of Arizona? Does Sen.Rogers have a conflict of interest due to her staunch support of Slaton?
There is no question that Steve Slaton ran on Sen. Rogers’s wings in the 2024 LD7 primary. Other Arizona politicians endorsed Slaton, including District 1 Sen. Mark Finchum, who also serves on the Judicial & Election Committee, where HB2030 rests.
Anthony Anderson, known as @stolenvalor1 on X, is a disabled Army Veteran and founder of Guardian of Valor, which exposes military impostors—a former staff sergeant who served in Afghanistan in 2010. Based in South Carolina, Anderson has investigated hundreds of cases, some of which have garnered national attention, earning him recognition as a leading “Stolen Valor” detective, according to CBS Morning News’ Jeff Glor. Beyond investigations, Anderson has influenced legislative efforts against false military claims, recently contributing to efforts in Arizona. He collaborates with experts like retired Navy SEAL Don Shipley to validate claims and uphold Veterans’ honor.
Anderson responded to Sen. Rogers’ press release, “It is entirely untrue that access to records is restricted. Under the Freedom of Information Act, individuals may request and obtain records. For nearly two decades, I have successfully acquired records on numerous individuals through this legal avenue. The notion of “classified off-the-books records” is a fabrication. Sen. Rogers’s claims appear to be an attempt to shield Steve Slaton from scrutiny. While the federal Stolen Valor Act of 2013 is a step in the right direction, it falls short of providing adequate protection for our Veterans. Presently, 22 states have enacted their own stolen valor laws, all of which have withstood constitutional review.”
Florida lawmakers are rolling out punishments for “Stolen Valor.” Under the Florida bill SB402, anyone caught lying about their military service or wearing a service uniform with medals and awards they never received could face a third-degree felony. A similar measure, SB348, specifically targets public officials using stolen valor to win elections and also cleared the Senate floor.
Sen. Rogers praises the far-right agenda and is all for President Trump, so why not follow the motto- “if it’s good enough for Florida, it’s good enough for Arizona?”
In a swift turn of weekend events, Arizona Senate President Warren Peterson has been handed the responsibility of HB2030 and the “Striker.” Sen. Peterson said in a news brief with Fox 10 Phoenix that he believes the penalties in HB2030 are too severe. He explained that he wants to protect “Stolen Valor,” but the real question is, “What type of law is appropriate to deal with Stolen Valor?” He also remarked that the process is working, saying legislation should take 30 days.
MSG Jack Dona gave rise to Supreme Court Justice Alito’s ruling and addressed the President of the Arizona Senate, Warren Peterson. “I call your attention to the words written below by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito regarding the Stolen Valor Act of 2005.” “The Stolen Valor Act,” Alito wrote, “represents the judgment of the people’s elected representatives that false statements about military awards are very different from false statements about civilian awards… [the Act] is a narrow law enacted to address an important problem, and it presents no threat to freedom of expression.”
Blackman concluded, “I also want to thank my colleagues and friends in the Senate—on both sides of the aisle—who are working alongside the Veterans in their communities to get the Stolen Valor bill signed into law. Together, we will honor the service and sacrifice of our Veterans by ensuring their integrity is protected.”
