Flags in New York's Nassau County will be lowered to half-staff following Jimmy Carter's death
MINEOLA, N.Y. — A Republican official who oversees Nassau County on New York's Long Island has done an about face after seemingly refusing to lower flags to half-staff in memory of the late Democratic President Jimmy Carter, who died last weekend at the age of 100.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, released a statement Sunday saying flags will be lowered at county-operated buildings while Carter lies in state from Tuesday through his burial on Thursday.
Blakeman has not publicly explained his reasons for not initially lowering the flags. President Joe Biden called for flags to be flown at half-staff for 30 days at all federal facilities.
When reached late last week, a spokesman for Blakeman told CBS News New York that he was "unavailable for comment."
Democratic county legislator Seth Koslow told CBS News New York that honoring a former president should transcend partisan politics, calling the decision not to an embarrassment to Nassau County.
"Politics shouldn't play into this right now. 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," Koslow said.
Carter died Dec. 29 at his home in Plains, Georgia. Mr. Biden declared Jan. 9 a national day of mourning for Carter. A state funeral will be held that day at the National Cathedral in Washington. Carter will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda from Jan. 7 to Jan. 9.
Flags at half-staff on Inauguration Day
Following Carter's death, Biden ordered that flags be flown at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings and military facilities -- an edict based on a proclamation that was issued by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954.
The order means flags will still be at half-staff on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
In a social media post Friday, Trump wrote that "because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let's see how it plays out."
During a briefing Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House would not consider reversing or reevaluating the order.
Trump said that he plans to attend Carter's funeral.
