Nassau County buildings not lowering flags to half-staff in memory of former President Jimmy Carter
Flags fly full-staff at the Nassau County Office Building in Mineola on Friday. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
Flags have been lowered to half-staff at federal, state and local buildings around the country to memorialize former President Jimmy Carter — but not in Nassau County, where County Executive Bruce Blakeman won’t say if it will happen on Jan. 9, the national day of mourning.
Suffolk’s flags were lowered to half-staff Dec. 30 and will remain so until Jan. 28, said Michael Martino, a spokesman for County Executive Edward P. Romaine.
Seth Koslow, a Nassau Democratic legislator, asked Blakeman to lower the flags and was rebuffed, according to spokesman Mike Fricchione.
Carter, the 39th U.S. president and a Democrat, died Sunday at age 100. President Joe Biden ordered the same day that flags be lowered for 30 days at all public buildings. Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a similar order, as did New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Chris Boyle, a spokesman for Blakeman, a Republican, confirmed Friday that flags aren’t at half-staff at county buildings.
"Flags have not been lowered," Boyle said in a text message, but would not say why or whether the county planned to lower the flags at some point.
In 2018, when former President George H.W. Bush, a Republican, died, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, both Democrats, ordered their counties' flags to be lowered to half-staff.
A news release this week by Nassau Democrats criticizes Blakeman and cites President-elect Donald Trump’s statement memorializing Carter.
"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,’" the statement read.
Koslow’s statement said: "Bruce Blakeman’s refusal to lower Nassau County flags to half-staff in honor of President Jimmy Carter is not just a slap in the face to a great American statesman — it’s a blatant disregard for the law and basic decency."
On Friday, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to lament that flags would be lowered during the upcoming inauguration.
"The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my Inauguration. They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves," Trump's post said.
CORRECTION: Suffolk County lowered its flags to half-staff beginning on Dec. 30 to mark the death of former President Jimmy Carter. A previous version of this story misstated the date due to incorrect information provided by the county.
Flags have been lowered to half-staff at federal, state and local buildings around the country to memorialize former President Jimmy Carter — but not in Nassau County, where County Executive Bruce Blakeman won’t say if it will happen on Jan. 9, the national day of mourning.
Suffolk’s flags were lowered to half-staff Dec. 30 and will remain so until Jan. 28, said Michael Martino, a spokesman for County Executive Edward P. Romaine.
Seth Koslow, a Nassau Democratic legislator, asked Blakeman to lower the flags and was rebuffed, according to spokesman Mike Fricchione.
Carter, the 39th U.S. president and a Democrat, died Sunday at age 100. President Joe Biden ordered the same day that flags be lowered for 30 days at all public buildings. Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a similar order, as did New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Chris Boyle, a spokesman for Blakeman, a Republican, confirmed Friday that flags aren’t at half-staff at county buildings.
"Flags have not been lowered," Boyle said in a text message, but would not say why or whether the county planned to lower the flags at some point.
In 2018, when former President George H.W. Bush, a Republican, died, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, both Democrats, ordered their counties' flags to be lowered to half-staff.
A news release this week by Nassau Democrats criticizes Blakeman and cites President-elect Donald Trump’s statement memorializing Carter.
"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,’" the statement read.
Koslow’s statement said: "Bruce Blakeman’s refusal to lower Nassau County flags to half-staff in honor of President Jimmy Carter is not just a slap in the face to a great American statesman — it’s a blatant disregard for the law and basic decency."
On Friday, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to lament that flags would be lowered during the upcoming inauguration.
"The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my Inauguration. They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves," Trump's post said.
CORRECTION: Suffolk County lowered its flags to half-staff beginning on Dec. 30 to mark the death of former President Jimmy Carter. A previous version of this story misstated the date due to incorrect information provided by the county.
Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.
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