A Republican county official in New York is refusing to lower flags to half-staff to honor late Democratic president Jimmy Carter.
Carter, the 39th president, died at his home in Plains, Georgia on December 29, 2024 at the age of 100.
Following Carter’s death, President Joe Biden called for flags to be flown at half-staff for 30 days at all federal facilities. New York State’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul also issued a similar proclamation.
However, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, is refusing to lower flags at Nassau County-operated buildings and hasn’t given a reason why.
A spokesperson for Blakeman confirmed to Long Island newspaper Newsday, that the flags had not been lowered on county buildings. The spokesperson also told CBS News that Blakeman was “unavailable for comment.”
Democratic county legislator Seth Koslow called the move an embarrassment to Nassau County.
“Politics shouldn’t play into this right now,” he told CBS News. “This should be about what’s right for a person who represented our country, who guided our country and then served our country when they were done as president, and it’s the right thing to do.”
