Alvarez, an elected representative to the Three Valleys Municipal Water District, said last year at a water district meeting that he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his deeds as a Marine.
After admitting he never served in the military, he was charged with violating the Stolen Valor Act. He pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge.
Alvarez's lawyer Brianna J. Fuller argued in the motion to dismiss, which will be heard Jan. 14 in federal court, that "protecting the reputation of military decorations" is not a compelling enough reason to place "restrictions on false statements."
I'm guessing you actually know this, you miserable bastard shyster, but this is not to 'protect the reputation' of a decoration: it's to punish stinking bastards like your client for claiming they served at this level and were decorated for it.
Your
Make you a deal: all charges dropped, and we offer a selection of Marines the chance to make their displeasure with him known. How 'bout that?
4 comments:
Should have been a no-brainer from the beginning - It's not the "Congressional" Medal of Honor. It's the Medal of Honor. Anybody who calls it the "Congressional" Medal of Honor (or, God forbid, "CMOH"!) probably doesn't have one, doesn't know anyone who has one, and has never seen one. I have personally met two recipients, and was always pleased beyond measure to be able to exercise the privilege of saluting them!
- Retired CPO(SS)
I've wondered how people started calling it the 'Congressional' medal.
I could be mistaken, but I haven't heard of anyone actually awarded the Medal using it in a political campaign, either.
Even Joe Foss didn't use it to be elected governor. His supporters did.
Instead of the Marines demonstrating their displeasure, how about a selection of his constituency who thought he had brighter plumage than he really did, and on that basis elected him? Or do they believe that so long as he can deliver the graft and pork whatever comes out of his mouth is ok with them?
The problem the Stolen Valor Act is intended to combat is more like fraud than theft. This argument about the integrity of the award is intended to obscure the fraud involved.
I won't even wear camo or those snappy fatigue caps from the Marines for fear of borrowing the mojo that rightly belongs only to them.
While "Congressional" is not correct, it probably comes from the formation of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society by act of congress (36 USC 405).
The "Congressional" that modified "Society" got applied to the Medal, is my guess.
(That and, perhaps, because it can be awarded by an act of Congress. One awarded by Congress rather than through the normal military process might reasonably be called a "Congressional" Medal of Honor, with no derogation or insult to anyone, might it not?)
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