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  • Ross and Burbank
Updated Feb 23, 2012 - 9:28 am

Are some lies worse than others?

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Listen to Dave's Commentary: Are some lies worse than others?

Xavier Alvarez is a liar. He was also a politician serving on a Pomona County Water Board in 2007 when during a public meeting he introduced himself as a retired Marine who had been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

xavierSomebody sent the tape to the FBI, which discovered he was lying, and he was convicted under the Stolen Valor Act which makes it a federal crime to lie about military medals.

Now, the Supreme Court has to decide if the Stolen Valor Act violated his free speech rights.

Not an easy call because Alvarez is your classic sleazeball. Lied about everything. Claimed he'd played hockey for the Detroit Red Wings.

But like I say, he was also a politician. And if the FBI had to investigate every political exaggeration -- I mean, they need at least SOME spare time to go after terrorists, right?

But no, they'd have to investigate John Kerry's swift boat claims, George W. Bush's National Guard service -- and if the Constitution allows prosecution of lies about military service, why not lies about Congressional service? And once that happens there'd be no more of this stuff:

"You're entitiled to your opinion, Mitt, you're not entitled to misrepresent the facts and you've misrepresented the facts." - santorum

"I've heard that line before. I've heard that before." - Romney

Call the FBI! Candidates would be cuffed by their own security details after every debate.

But you don't have to take a chisel to the Constitution for liars like Xavier Alvarez to get what they deserve. Two years after his military lie, Alvarez was sent to prison for lying about his divorce to get medical benefits for his ex-wife.

He is now prohibited from holding public office ever again.

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  • Master Sgt wrote...
    Lying
    February 23, 2012 8:51 am
    Politicians lie? What's new about that?
    412563
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  • ElenaT wrote...
    why not?
    February 23, 2012 9:19 am
    why not make it illegal for someone in political office to make an untrue statement?
    412577
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    ElenaT
    February 23, 2012 9:25 am
    Congress gets nothing done as it is and now you want to Tongue Tie them?If politicans can't talk their heads WILL explode
    412581
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    412577
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  • Pete in Seattle wrote...
    Free Speech?
    February 23, 2012 10:09 am
    One thing is missing from the discussion. The constitution, as amended, guarantees Freedom of Speech. It does not guarantee Free Speech. There is a difference. You have freedom to libel someone, but you also have to suffer the consequences - libel is certainly not "free" speech. [You also have the freedom to do a lot of other things for which you may have to pay with time out in a state-run facility]. One other aspect of the constitution is that while freedom to speak is protected there are no provisions to guarantee that one will be heard, let alone listened to or believed. In effect, we all have the right to ignore anything that anyone says.
    412611
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  • cdbtx wrote...
    Good comments Pete
    February 23, 2012 3:58 pm
    Right on the money.
    412708
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  • Dials wrote...
    Retired Marine
    February 23, 2012 4:43 pm
    Regarding the dude in the photo with the CIB...ahhh that is one funny looking retired Marine uni...
    412733
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  • Dials wrote...
    Photo
    February 23, 2012 11:59 pm
    I forgot to clarify a few issues with that photo...1) CIB is a very treasured ARMY decoration 2) that is an Army dress uni 3)don't know where the photo was dredged up from, but that is not a retired Marine...
    412867
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  • rational wrote...
    Hummm...
    February 23, 2012 10:55 pm
    No party affiliation mentioned, must be a democrat. If he were a republican it'd be in the article title and first paragraph.
    412859
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  • Zoeller wrote...
    dave, dave, dave sigh........
    February 24, 2012 8:03 am
    What Dave no lie quotes from your dear leader????? (Americans want higher taxes),(Didn’t know Jeremiah Wright was Radical),(Mother denied health care), (Shovel ready jobs),(Transparency), #1 (Constitutional Oath) lies lies lies all lies.........I was a professor of law, I was a cosntitional lawer I don't take PAC money, and on and on and on........
    412914
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  • irony wrote...
    he should be prosecuted.
    February 24, 2012 8:56 am
    it's illegal to impersonate a police officer, are going to say that's protected speech now. look at john kerry, lied about the events that got him 3 purple hearts faster than any war hero in history. and if you still want to claim swift boating why don't you be honest for a change and look at the evidence that shows he didn't bleed in any situation.
    412928
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  • rational wrote...
    irony
    February 24, 2012 5:38 pm
    Not to mention Kerry's claim to have been sent on a secret mission behind enemy lines by a president who hadn't yet been sworn into office.
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