A row has broken out in New York State's Nassau County after Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman allegedly ignored a request to lower American flags to half-staff on county buildings as a tribute to recently deceased former President Jimmy Carter.
Following the death of Carter, aged 100, on December 29, 2024, President Joe Biden instructed all flags on public buildings to be lowered to half-staff for 30 days, a proclamation repeated by New York State's Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul.
However, speaking to Long Island newspaper Newsday, a spokesperson for Blakeman confirmed the flags had not been lowered on county buildings. The publication reported Blakeman "rebuffed" a request from Nassau County Democrat Seth Koslow to have the flags put at half-staff.
Newsweek contacted Bruce Blakeman and the Nassau County Democratic Party for comment via online contact form and email respectively on Saturday outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
The death of Carter, who occupied the White House between 1977 and 1981, sparked tributes from across the political spectrum including from President-elect Donald Trump, who said "we all owe him a debt of gratitude."
However, partisan divisions remain intense in the United States following the bitter 2024 presidential election, when both main candidates suggested their rival was a danger to American democracy. If it's confirmed that Blakeman is refusing to lower county flags at a tribute to Carter, it would be a sign that these rifts are far from healing, with the usual cross-party pleasantries not being fully observed.
What To Know
On Friday, Newsday published an article claiming flags at Nassau County buildings had not been lowered to half-staff, which the publication said was confirmed by a spokesperson for Blakeman.
In a statement, the Nassau County Democrat Party said: "Even former President Donald Trump issued a heartfelt statement honoring Carter's legacy, writing, 'While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realized that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for. He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect. He was a truly good man and, of course, will be greatly missed."
In 2018, then Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, a Democrat, ordered flags lowered outside its buildings to mark the death of former Republican President George H.W. Bush.
What People Are Saying
In a post on his Facebook account on Friday, Koslow said: "Today, I issued a statement calling on Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to immediately lower county flags to half-staff in tribute to the late President Jimmy Carter.
"This is not only a requirement under federal law but also a meaningful and symbolic act of respect that has been observed across the nation. Honoring President Carter's legacy in this way is a small yet powerful gesture that reflects our shared values and respect for those who have served our country."
On X, Tim Hannan, a self-styled "anti-fascist" from New York with over 106,000 followers, posted: "This is f****** shameful. Nassau County Exec Bruce Blakeman refuses to lower county flags half mast for Carter. Unpatriotic fascist a******."
What Happens Next
Now the issue has attracted local and national media attention, Blakeman is likely to come under additional pressure to lower the U.S. flags in tribute to Carter.
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