 Justice Samuel Alito , joined by Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas , dissented from the Court 's decision striking down the Act . For Alito , the ruling had " [ broken ] sharply from a long line of cases recognizing that the right to free speech does not protect false factual statements that inflict real harm and serve no legitimate interest . " " The Stolen Valor Act , " Alito wrote , " represents the judgment of the people 's elected representatives that false statements about military awards are very different from false statements about civilian awards ... [ the Act ] is a narrow law enacted to address an important problem , and it presents no threat to freedom of expression . " 
