Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

Senate approves ‘stolen valor’ bill

STATE HOUSE – The Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Roger A. Picard to allow prosecution of those who falsely represent themselves as a member of the military or a veteran for personal benefit.

            The bill (2022-S 2425A) would make it a crime to fraudulently represent oneself as an active or veteran member of the military or armed forces for the purpose of obtaining money, property or other tangible benefits. The crime would be a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

“Our nation’s service members and veterans have earned the respect of the public and we owe them our gratitude for all the sacrifices they’ve made on our behalf. Those who have never served but who try to cash in on that respect are doing a disservice to veterans and service members, and should be held accountable,” said Senator Picard (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland), who introduced it at the request of veterans.

            In addition to falsely wearing military uniforms or using falsified military identification, the bill would also include falsely representing oneself as a recipient of the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross and other military decorations.

The bill now heads to the House, which last week passed similar legislation (2022-H 7714A) sponsored by Rep. Samuel A. Azzinaro (D-Dist. 37, Westerly).

 

The Biden administration is telling House Speaker Mike Johnson it's up to state governors to decide if the National Guard is needed to subdue pro-Palestine protests on college campuses. Johnson called on President Biden to call in the National Guard after visiting Columbia University on Wednesday. The Speaker said "there is an appropriate time for the National Guard" if the protests aren't contained quickly.       The Supreme Court is considering whether Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for acts he took in office. The case before them Thursday centered around Trump's federal election interference charges. Trump's attorney argued prosecuting a president for official acts "incompatible" with Constitution. The special counsel attorney argued the Constitution does not grant a president absolute immunity.       Librarians in Alabama could face criminal charges if a newly-passed bill becomes law. The Republican-controlled state House of Representatives passed a bill where librarians at public libraries or public schools can be arrested if accused of distributing material considered "obscene." The bill passed on a party-line vote of 72-to-28. The bill originally called for the offense to be a Class C felony with a maximum ten-year sentence, but was changed to a Class C misdemeanor with a maximum three-month sentence.       Kim Kardashian is promoting criminal justice reform at the White House. The reality TV star joined Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday to help promote a new rule from the Small Business Administration that will lift loan restrictions for people with criminal records. Kardashian is a long-time advocate for non-violent drug offenders, and helped elevate the issue during the Trump administration.       A New Hampshire man is avoiding jail time in his sentence for making a hoax bomb threat at Harvard as part of an extortion scheme. William Giordani yesterday pleaded guilty to the charge of concealing a federal felony, and was sentenced to three years of probation. Giordani allegedly placed a tool bag that was rigged to look like an explosive device at the Harvard Science Center Plaza. He then called Harvard Police claiming to have placed three bombs on campus, demanding bitcoin to stop the bombs from exploding.       Buying a home is now more expensive than ever. A new report from Redfin found the median home price in the United States is now over 383-thousand-dollars, a record high. The economic research lead with Redfin says prices may drop slightly in the coming months, but buyers should accept that "housing costs are likely to remain elevated for the foreseeable future."       

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