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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Stolen Valor Act - Kerrville Perp

In today's San Antonio Express News by Zeke MacCormack
Executive's military claims challenged
KERRVILLE — As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to announce its ruling Thursday on the constitutionality of the Stolen Valor Act, questions have arisen about an oil company executive's claims about his military record.
The act made lying about receiving military awards a federal crime.
Herbert Williamson III has claimed to be a decorated Vietnam veteran and retired colonel from the Army Reserve......In sworn depositions for the lawsuit, he said he was in the Army from 1970 to 1973, rising to the rank of chief warrant officer, second class. He also claimed to have served one year in Vietnam, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1971 as a scout helicopter pilot.
But Connecticut National Guard records indicate he served in that state from January 1971 to August 1972, working as a communications wireman at the rank of private first class.


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Executive-s-military-claims-challenged-3662148.php#ixzz1ytljiyL4

I filed a complaint with the FBI against Herbert Clarke Williamson III for violating the Stolen Valor Act (18 U.S.C. 704) which makes it a crime to lie that you earned military honors. In cases of the higher medals, like the Medal of Honor, it is a felony. Lying about other medals, say a combat infantryman badge, is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison. The act may be struck down by the Supreme Court. In U.S. v. Alvarez, a fraud stood up in a city council meeting and claimed he had won the Medal of Honor. He was convicted, and appealed on the grounds that the law violated the right to free speech under the First Amendment. SCOTUS heard oral argument in February, and will issue its opinion soon. Basically, the argument against the law is that anyone has the right to lie, just like they do to burn the American flag, disrupt military funerals because somehow that has something to do with God's judgment against America for tolerating homosexuals, or to produce and sell pornography. On the other hand, there is no First Amendment right to lie in a court proceeding, which includes a deposition. That's perjury, and depending on whether it's in federal or state court, or the "materiality" of the lie, it can be a felony. I also provided the FBI with the transcript of a deposition in a bankruptcy case (which is in federal court) where Williamson repeated the whoppers, even describing how he heroically rescued a South Vietnamese officer and his radioman under hostile fire. Herbert C. Williamson III, the fake hero in Zeke MacCormack's story is not some ignorant, uneducated nobody. He really did get his MBA from Harvard, has made millions as a corporate takeover raider, been an investment banker, and still serves as chairman of the board of several publicly traded companies. He claims in their annual reports and prospectuses to persuade investors to buy their stock (and those documents are filed with the SEC) that he is a highly decorated Vietnam vet, helicopter pilot, and served 30 years in the Army Reserves, retiring as a colonel. The truth is - he was a private in the Connecticut National Guard, his MOS was Field Wireman (telephone installer/repairman), his four months of active duty was spent in basic training, and he never got a rank higher than private. He testified in a deposition that I took (on videotape) that he received the DFC, and flew Scout helicopters in Vietnam. In a grand jury proceeding (also on videotape) he wore a DFC on his lapel. I'm sure that impressed the grand jurors - it impressed the hell out of me. Stolen Valor What really puzzles me is this: how could anyone be delusional enough to believe they could lie about being war heroes? My wife's father was the real deal - he was with the Marines that took Guadalcanal, a turning point in the Pacific War. He never told stories that made him look brave or like a hero. He told funny stories, like hotwiring a Jap truck and loading it with food and supplies that the Army left unguarded. There's a hilarious scene in The Pacific based on that event. But he was there for six months, with the Japs dropping bombs and shelling them from the sea every night, and going on patrols in elephant grass that was ten feet tall, literally running into Jap patrols. He never totally recovered from the malaria he contracted there. Anyone who would make up stories that star themselves as heroes are liars and cowards, and thieves, stealing from the real heroes. The unanswered question is, why? Some of these frauds have legitimate accomplishments, but still feel inadequate. As an example, here is Mr. Williamson's bio currently online, which accurately claims a Harvard MBA....................... Executive Profile Herbert C. Williamson III Chairman and Chairman of Audit Committee, ZaZa Energy Corporation Age Total Calculated Compensation This person is connected to 11 Board Members in 11 different organizations across 27 different industries. See Board Relationships 62 -- Background Mr. Herbert C. Williamson III, Herb Mr. Williamson is owner of a game ranch in Hunt, Texas, and has significant oil and gas experience with a strong focus on international activities. Mr. Williamson has been a private investor since 2001. Prior to 2001, Mr. Williamson held numerous director and officer positions with a variety of energy and finance companies. He serves at Titan Exploration, Inc. His experience includes positions at Jones, Lloyd & Webster and Lehman Brothers, both in Houston, in the corporate finance area. From March 2001 to March 2002, Mr. Williamson served as an Investment Banker with Petrie Parkman & Co. From April 1999 to March 2001, Mr. Williamson served as Chief Financial Officer of Merlon Petroleum Company and served as a consultant and interim Chief Financial Officer from January 1999 to March 2002. Mr. Williamson served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Seven Seas Petroleum Inc., from March 1998 to April 1999. From June 1995 to March 1999, he served as Director in the Investment Banking Department of Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr. Williamson served as Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President of Parker and Parsley Petroleum Company (now Pioneer Natural Resources Company) from April 1985 to April 1995. Mr. Williamson has been Chairman of the Board at ZaZa Energy Corporation since May 2012. Mr. Williamson has over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and investment banking business. he served as an Independent Vice Chairman of Toreador Resources Corp. since January 25, 2007. He has been a Director of Titan since August 1999. He has been Director of ZaZa Energy Corporation since February 22, 2012. Mr. Williamson has been an Independent Director of Toreador Resources Corp. since January 2006. He has been an Independent Director of Eagle Rock Energy G&P LLC at Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. since July 30, 2010. He serves as a Director at Merlon International Inc. He served as a Director of Westside Energy Corp. since March 30, 2005. He served as a Director of Golden Gate Homes, Inc. (alternate name, JK Acquisition Corp.) from May 31, 2005 to May 28, 2008. From April 19, 2002 to March 2003, he served as a Director of Southwest Royalties, Inc., a Managing General Partner of 20 Income Funds in the fund Complex. He served as a Director of Merlon Petroleum Company (a private oil and gas company engaged in exploration and production in East Texas and Egypt) from August 1998 to March 2001 and was a Director of Seven Seas Petroleum, Inc. Mr. Williamson served as a Director of Mission Resources Corp. since November 2002. He served as a Director of Energy Group at CS First Boston. From April 1997 to February 2002, Mr. Williamson served as a Director of Pure Resources Inc. and its predecessor, and during this tenure he served as Chairman of the special committee in connection with the tender offer made by Unocal. He served as a Director of Crusader Energy Group Inc. until June 2009, Parker & Parsley Petroleum Company from 1989 to 2005 and Petrohawk Energy Corporation from July 28, 2005 to July 2006. He is also a highly decorated Vietnam veteran and a retired Colonel in the US Army Reserve with Military Intelligence and Civil Affairs command positions. Mr. Williamson earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

3 comments:

  1. This does not surprise me one bit. I see this behavior all the time in Christian Conservative blowhards in the oil biz. Just look at the recent revelations regarding uber Christian, Conservative, Chesapeake CEO Aubrey McClendon. Their deceit is purposeful, engineered for more money and more power. All of the church going, glad handing and professing to be a hero known to love Jesus and fight for America is just a fraud to cover up the real agenda, which is more money and more power. If I was a ZaZa shareholder I would be on the phone dumping that paper.

    Good work Richard.

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  2. I will bet you ten bucks Bruce Curry does not go after this guy for perjury. This dude is white, wealthy and looks to much like Bruce's constituents. It is easier to go after a Deron Belford type, regardless of the facts situation.

    Kerrville is such a haven for white collar criminals.

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  3. Mosty owes you big time Richard! Finally he has a criminal client with deep pockets! Oh how rare in Kerr County. Watch this one drag on. Guilty until proven bankrupt!! ha ha...all kidding aside Mosty is good lawyer.

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