TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has directed flags to be flown at half staff Wednesday to honor controversial conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh on three buildings in Palm Beach, West Palm and Tallahassee.
The order says the flags of the United States and the State of Florida will be flown at half-staff at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida, the City Hall of Palm Beach, Florida, and the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday, February 24, 2021.
DeSantis announced last week that he planned to have flags lowered to half-staff in honor of Limbaugh when funeral arrangements for him are announced.
The decision has been met with backlash from many, including Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried saying she will disregard Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order to lower Florida flags.
DeSantis' order appears to be outside Florida's protocol for lowering flags to half-staff.
According to the protocol, flags across the state are lowered primarily for federal officials including the President, Vice President, Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, Speaker of the U.S. House, members of Congress from Florida, prominent State of Florida officials, and Florida law enforcement officers, firefighters, and members of the Armed Forces from Florida who have died in the line of duty.
The order reads as follows:
"On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, Rush Limbaugh, Florida resident and America’s anchorman, passed away after battling lung cancer. In 1988, he began “The Rush Limbaugh Show” that soon became one of the most prominent media platforms. Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on February 4, 2020 by President Donald J. Trump. He holds recognition in both the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
To honor the memory of Rush Limbaugh and his service to our nation and state, I hereby direct the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida, the City Hall of Palm Beach, Florida, and the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday, February 24, 2021."
This story was originally published by WTXL in Tallahassee, Florida.
