Governor drops lawsuit over F-15 transfers
Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana is dropping the state’s lawsuit against the Defense Department over plans to move the Montana National Guard’s F-15s to California.
The move comes after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta assured the state’s senators that the Air Force will halt scheduled transfers of aircraft until Congress finalizes 2013 budget plans later this year, which could also further prevent those transfers.
The transfers had worried leaders in several states that could potentially lose aircraft used by their guard forces.
Schweitzer filed court documents July 9 dropping Montana’s lawsuit over the matter.
He says the suit is no longer necessary now that the Defense Department says it will stick with plans to replace the F-15s with C-130 cargo planes. The governor says he can re-file the lawsuit if Air Force plans change. AP
Senator pushes reworked Stolen Valor bill
U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., is calling for passage of a bill that would punish those who lie about receiving the Medal of Honor and other military honors.
Brown is pushing for the bill after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the original version of the so-called Stolen Valor act.
The law, enacted when the U.S. was at war in Afghanistan and Iraq, was aimed at people making phony claims of heroism.
The justices called such false claims “contemptible,” but said they were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech.
Brown is hoping to clear those constitutional concerns by focusing on those who seek to profit from their misrepresentations.
The Republican lawmaker said the bill will “punish military liars and cheats in a way that satisfies the court’s concerns.” AP
