Backlash Builds Against Glassman In Stolen Valor Scrum

April 3, 2025 ADI Staff Reporter
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Sparks are flying in the Republican primary for Attorney General and backlash is building among veterans around the Stolen Valor bill making its way through the Legislature.  The bill, introduced by Rep Walt Blackman, was blocked by Senators Wendy Rogers and Mark Finchem, prompting a great deal of anger among veterans who felt betrayed, particularly by Rogers who stresses her veteran status as part of her campaigns. 

Help arrived in the form of a striker bill offered by Senator Shawnna Bolick that would give the effort a second chance, but that process will require assistance from the Senate President Warren Petersen.  According to both Petersen and Blackman, they are working together to find a way around Rogers and to get a bill to the Senate floor for a vote.

Petersen is running for Attorney General and each delay in the process has provided his opponents the opportunity to take shots at his performance and both Democrat Kris Mayes, the current AG, and Rodney Glassman, who will be running for office yet again against Petersen in the GOP primary, have eagerly taken shots.

During a press conference Glassman held to attack Petersen, he said “[Petersen’s] a coward — he doesn’t want the chamber to vote at all.” Glassman’s desire to capture the spotlight on an issue he had no particular involvement in is increasingly grating on groups who note his interest is due almost entirely to the political opportunity it presents as opposed to any real commitment to the issue.  Making it worse, Glassman has been accused of exaggerating his involvement.  He has claimed on social media that Rep Blackman asked him to get involved in putting pressure on Petersen, but that appears to be untrue.  He is also trying to lead an effort to lean on Petersen to do something that Petersen is already doing, and may jeopardize the entire process as a result.

“Glassman is pretending to lead and wants to take credit for the work Blackman and Petersen are doing, which is pretty damn ironic considering the legislation is all about Stolen Valor and taking credit for the work and sacrifices of others.” fumed one observer.

“Glassman doesn’t care if the bill passes, he probably hopes it doesn’t so he can have an issue to attack Petersen on,” said the observer, “which explains why he’s trying to poison the well and get everyone fighting instead of working together.”

Sources say that Blackman and Petersen have had multiple conversations about the bill and are working on an improved final product that meets Blackman’s requirements and makes Arizona a leader when it comes to fighting Stolen Valor.

Stolen Valor was very much in the headlines in 2024 when Steve Slaton ran for State House in Arizona’s 7th Legislative District, claiming to be a Vietnam combat veteran, a Cobra helicopter pilot, and more.  His phony record was quickly exposed by veterans and media outlets but his running mate at the time was Wendy Rogers, who defended him fervently, going so far as to claim that the reason he had no records detailing any of his claims was that his missions were so top secret, no records could be provided.  Rogers had no specific reply for how Slaton could have performed so many top-secret missions as part of the Vietnam war when he didn’t enlist in the military until after the war had ended, and Slaton was badly beaten in the GOP primary by both Blackman and David Marshall.

For his part, Petersen is staying largely focused on his job and moving the legislation, but he did pause long enough to take one shot at Glassman, saying that the attacks were a “shameless effort to use veterans as political pawns in a disgraceful attempt to further his campaign.”  He also referred to the attacks as a “true testament to [Glassman’s] character and a prime example of why voters keep rejecting him.”

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