Palm Beach County officials divided on lowering flags for Rush Limbaugh
A 7 days immediately after controversial conservative radio personality and Palm Beach resident Hurry Limbaugh died of lung cancer, Gov. Ron DeSantis purchased that state and U.S. flags be flown at fifty percent-team at the Palm Beach front County Courthouse and Palm Beach front Town Corridor on Wednesday.
Several hours right after dawn, Palm Seashore County officials appeared divided on how to tackle the get: The trio of U.S., point out and county flags at the courthouse in West Palm Beach remained in their typical staggered position, though throughout the Intracoastal Waterway at Palm Seashore Town Hall, the two state and U.S. flags were lowered for Limbaugh.
“Currently, our flags stay below normal protocol,” county spokeswoman Lisa De La Rionda claimed. No even more remark was supplied as to particularly why the county defied DeSantis’ buy or no matter if there have been fears of backlash.
Much more:Palm Beach front flags at half-staff to honor COVID victims Limbaugh soon after buy from DeSantis
County Administrator Verdenia Baker, who directs the county’s facilities office to lower flags on county home, could not be attained for remark.
The governor’s press workplace rebuked the conclusion in a assertion delivered to The Palm Beach Post.
“It is unfortunate that Palm Beach front County would relatively engage in petty politics than honor the dying of just one of their county’s and state’s most popular people and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient,” the assertion said.
The town of Palm Seaside had previously decreased its flag Monday in the spirit of President Joe Biden’s directive this 7 days that all federal attributes fly their flags at fifty percent-personnel in honor of the 500,000 People who have died from COVID-19.
The governor’s purchase arrived late Tuesday. Council President Maggie Zeidman said the city would have reduced the flag for the governor’s get even if it was not presently lowered for COVID victims.
In addition to the courthouse and town hall, the Capitol in Tallahassee flew flags at 50 %-workers per the governor’s order.
Soon following the governor issued the directive, County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay explained she would not assist decreasing the flags for Limbaugh.
“The lowering of flags ought to be a unifying gesture in the course of solemn instances, these types of as in remembrance of the young life dropped throughout the Parkland substantial faculty massacre or first responder line of responsibility deaths,” McKinlay wrote in a submit on Twitter. “Even though Rush Limbaugh was a substantial general public determine, he was also an incredibly divisive 1 who damage lots of persons with his words and actions.”
Limbaugh was identified for offending minorities and gals by the decades with remarks off and on his self-titled radio exhibit. He was fired from ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown pregame exhibit in 2003 following stating “the media has been extremely desirous that a Black quarterback do nicely,” referring to Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
In 2008, Limbaugh apologized after laughing when a caller when compared then-presidential applicant Barack Obama to Curious George, claiming he didn’t know the character was a monkey. Limbaugh would also refer to then-to start with lady Michelle Obama on his present as “Moochelle.”
Extra not long ago, following President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Limbaugh repeated lies that Biden did not earn the election.
McKinlay expressed personalized discomfort at Limbaugh’s remarks about Michael J. Fox, the actor with Parkinson’s disease.
“My grandfather experienced Parkinson’s. Limbaugh joked about it. Just just one hateful comment instance,” McKinlay wrote in response to a remark on her Twitter post. “Flags are decreased to honor war heroes, very first responders, harmless victims, heads of condition. Not radio talk exhibit hosts.”
Commissioner Mack Bernard, who represents the district which includes the town of Palm Seashore, agreed with McKinlay.
“I just imagine we require to reserve lowering the flag for distinctive predicaments,” Bernard claimed. “I will not help lowering the flags for Mr. Limbaugh.”
Condition law offer
s assistance on reducing state flags at 50 %-workers “on appropriate occasions, these as on holiday seasons and on the loss of life of significant-position point out officials, uniformed legislation enforcement and fireplace support staff, and distinguished citizens.”
DeSantis initial announced he wished to lower flags to 50 %-team in honor of Limbaugh during a news convention in West Palm Beach front on Friday.
The governor’s buy notes that Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Liberty by then-President Donald Trump and was recognized by the Nationwide Radio Corridor of Fame and the Countrywide Affiliation of Broadcasters Corridor of Fame.
Flags at West Palm Seashore Town Corridor were being also lowered Wednesday but only for COVID victims.
Mayor Keith James explained at Monday’s metropolis commission that “I am not in favor of lowering flags at 50 %-mast for Hurry Limbaugh. … That’s not going to materialize.”
Palm Seashore Submit Employees Photographers Lannis Waters and Damon Higgins contributed to this report.
