Florida official tells offices to disregard DeSantis order to lower flags in Limbaugh's honor

Authored by thehill.com and submitted by Facerealityalready
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Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) on Monday said that she will direct offices under her purview to disregard Gov. Ron DeSantis Ron DeSantisCrist calls on DOJ to investigate DeSantis over coronavirus vaccine distribution Governors in hot water over their coronavirus response Trump to speak at CPAC in first public appearance since leaving White House MORE’s (R) order to lower flags to half-staff to commemorate the late conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

“Lowering to half-staff the flag of the United States of America is a sacred honor that pays respect to fallen heroes and patriots. It is not a partisan political tool. Therefore, I will notify all state offices under my direction to disregard the Governor's forthcoming order to lower flags for Mr. Limbaugh – because we will not celebrate hate speech, bigotry, and division,” Fried said in a statement Monday.

“Lowering the flag should always reflect unity, not division, and raising our standards, not lowering them,” she added. “Our flags will remain flying high to celebrate the American values of diversity, inclusion, and respect for all.”

I will not lower the flags at my Department’s state offices for Rush Limbaugh. Lowering our flag should reflect unity, not division — and raising our standards, not lowering them. https://t.co/HqtzeoUHkr — Nikki Fried (@nikkifried) February 22, 2021

Fried was elected to office independently of DeSantis and has been a frequent critic of the governor.

DeSantis announced the lowering of flags Friday, the day after Limbaugh, a longtime Florida resident, died at 70 from lung cancer. Although tributes rolled in hailing Limbaugh for his influence on the modern conservative movement, critics also pointed out his history of inflammatory comments, such as comparing a then-teenage Chelsea Clinton to a dog and calling Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” after she testified in favor of requiring that health insurance cover birth control.

The Hill has reached out to DeSantis’s office for comment.

FL-Orange on February 22nd, 2021 at 22:13 UTC »

1995 Rush: " “There’s nothing good about drug use. We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up.”

2006 Rush arrested for doctor shopping for opiates....

F'n hypocrite.

suddenly_ants on February 22nd, 2021 at 20:52 UTC »

The federal call to lower to half staff for the 500k dead was a classy way to deep six all of this.

forthewatch39 on February 22nd, 2021 at 20:47 UTC »

Limbaugh doesn’t even qualify for the prerequisites of lowering the flag in Florida though. He was neither an elected official or a fallen member of the military.