Prosecutors: Marine superimposed Obama’s face on ‘Jackass’ movie poster

A Marine facing dismissal for making statements critical of
President Obama superimposed the president’s face on a “Jackass” movie poster and sold
“Nobama” stickers, according to Marine prosecutors.

An administrative separation hearing began Thursday for Sgt.
Gary Stein, who could receive an “other than honorable” discharge for saying he
would not follow orders and calling Obama a “domestic enemy” on his “Armed
Forces Tea Party” Facebook page.

{mosads}The Associated Press reported from the hearing at Camp
Pendleton in San Diego, Calif., on Thursday that Marine prosecutor Capt. John Torresala said
Stein acted irresponsibly and disregarded repeated warnings that his anti-Obama
postings violated Pentagon policy.

Stein has argued that he was acting as a private citizen,
and said he was talking theoretically about not following unlawful orders.

{mosads}“My heart is heavy this morning as I tie up my boots and start
my hour drive to Camp Pendleton,” Stein wrote on his Facebook page early
Thursday morning. “It hurts me to know that I could be punished for the one of
the constitutional rights I have given the last 9 years of my life to protect.

“While I could have better chosen my words when making the
comments in question, I feel that they do not warrant the punishment that could
be handed down today,” he wrote.

Stein’s case has garnered the support of Rep. Duncan Hunter
(R-Calif.), a Marine reservist who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hunter
wrote to the Marines this week urging them to drop their discharge proceedings
against Stein.

Stein sued in federal court Tuesday in an attempt to stop
the military hearing Thursday, but the judge declined to delay the proceeding.

His lawsuit argued that the military’s policy that prohibits
political activities for service members in uniform is overly broad and violated
his First Amendment rights.

The court’s ruling said that the Marine’s decision on his
discharge was not predetermined.

— This post was corrected after the Associated Press specified that Obama’s face was superimposed on a “Jackass” poster.