Democrat Fred Taylor's calling card against state Sen. Mike Fasano has been Taylor's three Purple Heart medals after being wounded in Vietnam.

So when a recent Fasano flier hit, he says he was disappointed. Fasano sent voters a brochure heralding his accomplishments for veterans -- with a big Purple Heart in the middle.

"You have to understand, I have certain kind of emotions about it. ... I'm legitimate, I'm not a stolen valor type of guy," Taylor said today.

"To me, I think it's misleading and here's why. He's never served. He never received a Purple Heart. Why not put a Silver Star? It's something deeply personal to me."

Fasano said it's not an attempt to hit Taylor personally. He used a Purple Heart because he authored a bill in 2006 provide a tuition waiver for Purple Heart recipients.

-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer