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When it comes to far-right state lawmakers Wendy Rogers and Mark Finchem, it appears state Rep. Walt Blackman is done playing nice.
For months, the Republican from Snowflake has been pushing a bill, House Bill 2030, to criminalize stolen valor, the practice of fabricating or exaggerating military service. The bill is personal to Blackman — as a 21-year Army veteran, he had to survive a primary battle against Steve Slaton, a Donald Trump fanatic who news reports revealed had embellished his military record.
Blackman’s bill has won bipartisan support, passing 58 to 0 through the Arizona House of Representatives. But then it reached the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Rogers. On the one hand, Rogers is a veteran of the Air Force. On the other, she is closely aligned with Slaton.
Wednesday afternoon, after dozens of veterans had traveled to the Capitol to testify in favor of the bill, Rogers unilaterally struck the bill from the committee’s agenda, effectively killing it. Later that evening, Blackman took to X to put her and Finchem, who is also on the committee and supportive of Slaton, on blast.
“What happened at the Arizona Capitol this week wasn’t just political—it was a disgrace,” Blackman wrote, going on to note the Vietnam veterans, Gold Star families and descendants of the Navajo Code Talkers who traveled to support the bill. Then he turned his fire on Rogers.
“Senator Rogers, shame on you,” Blackman continued. “You swore the same oath I did—to defend the Constitution and uphold the values of integrity and service. The Air Force Academy’s Honor Code is clear: 'We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does.' You violated that code the moment you chose political games over honoring those who served. You failed as a leader—and worse, you failed as an officer.”
Blackman also had smoke for Finchem, who did not serve in the military.
“And to Mark Finchem—when you’ve laced up a pair of boots, stood shoulder to shoulder with warriors, and felt the weight of combat as part of our Armed Forces, then you can speak on veterans’ issues,” Blackman wrote. “Until then, stay in your lane. Stop pulling strings from the shadows to block what you don’t understand and never earned the right to represent.”
Blackman, Rogers and Finchem have not responded to requests for comment from Phoenix New Times. But in a statement released after this article was originally published, Rogers blamed Blackman for the bill not getting a hearing.
"Rep. Blackman refused to work with my staff on HB 2030," Rogers wrote. "I take this seriously, but have concerns Rep. Blackman ran this legislation to hamstring political opponents, rather than hold accountable those who engage in this type of fraud."
ATTENTION VETERANS AND ARIZONANS
— Walt Blackman LD7 Representative (@BlackmanForAZ) March 27, 2025
Statement from Walt Blackman
Retired U.S. Army Combat Veteran
As a combat veteran, I know what real sacrifice looks like. That’s why what happened at the Arizona Capitol this week wasn’t just political—it was a disgrace.
Veterans from across… pic.twitter.com/9lmskgFiQD
The Stolen Valor bill would create penalties that vary from a class 1 misdemeanor up to a class 4 felony if a person impersonating the veteran obtains at least $10,000 from the scam or “impersonates a veteran in furtherance of a campaign for political office,” per the text of the bill. Additionally, if a person is serving in local office at the time of a “stolen valor” conviction, they must be removed from their office within 10 calendar days after sentencing.
That election provision likely is the sticking point. Supporters of the Stolen Valor bill have pointed to Slaton as the reason for Rogers’ lack of support. Slaton, who owns the infamous Trumped Store in Show Low, was outed during the 2024 primary for claiming to have seen combat in Vietnam. In reality, he was a helicopter repairman based in Korea.
Rogers and Finchem both endorsed Slaton in the primary over Blackman and fellow state Rep. David Marshall, both of whom are Black. Blackman and Marshall won.
In his Wednesday night missive, Blackman hinted at that backstory.
“I didn’t fight for this country so politicians like Rogers and Finchem could turn their backs on those who did,” he wrote. “I will always stand with Arizona’s veterans—and I will never stay silent while others try to diminish their sacrifice.
“And as for the political games—run your attack ads, spread your lies, send your surrogates like Slaton to discredit me with their baseless claims.”
In her statement, Rogers claimed that she requested that Blackman alter the bill to mirror federal law, specifically the 2013 Stolen Valor Act, but that Blackman refused. She said she added the bill to the agenda for Wednesday's hearing in the hopes that he'd change his mind.
"Instead, he continues a smear campaign, omitting the fact that a repeated good faith effort was made to work with him on this legislation," Rogers wrote. "Sadly, it appears Rep. Blackman let a personal vendetta get in the way of honestly fighting for combat veterans."
Blackman's bill isn’t entirely dead yet. Earlier this month, Republican Sen. Shawnna Bolick adopted a strike-everything amendment to a liquor-reporting bill she’s pushed — Senate Bill 1424 — replacing its text with that of HB 2030. Bolick’s bill has already passed through the Senate and on Thursday the House recommended that the new version be passed.
“I don’t know why someone would want to block the hearing of the bill,” Sen. Bolick told New Times of Rogers’ decision. “Unfortunately, that’s the prerogative of the chairman, so I don’t want to get in between the chairman and the members, but sometimes I have to.”
Whatever happens, Blackman sounds like he’s spoiling for a fight.
“I’m a decorated combat veteran of the Iraq War. I don’t hide,” his tweet concluded. “You know where to find me.”
