Honoring Limbaugh’s legacy ignites partisan battles in Florida and beyond

(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week ordered flags statewide lowered to half-mast in honor of Palm Beach resident Rush Limbaugh once his memorial service plans are announced.

Those plans remained uncertain Tuesday. Limbaugh, 70, died Feb. 17. On Monday, Limbaugh’s wife, Kathryn Limbaugh, said his family is “in the initial stages of planning a celebration of life” and had not settled on “an exact date.”

In the interim, controversy is stewing over who will and won’t honor Limbaugh and every day his memorial service plans linger uncertain, partisan battles over his legacy ignite in Florida and beyond.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., has called on President Joe Biden to order flags lowered nationwide to honor Limbaugh. Biden has not responded.

A Congressional resolution honoring Limbaugh was introduced Feb. 18 in the House by U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., and 42 co-sponsors, including Florida Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Ft. Walton Beach, and Greg Steube, R-Sarasota. It has no chance of passing the Democrat-controlled chamber.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has called on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to lower flags statewide to honor Limbaugh, a move certain to curry a clash. Missouri lawmakers have filed a resolution memorializing Limbaugh, a native son. Similar resolutions are expected in state legislatures nationwide, including Florida.

Two days before DeSantis announced his directive, state Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hill, announced on Twitter he’d dispatched a letter to DeSantis “requesting the lowering of Florida’s flags to half-staff in honor of the passing of a great Floridian – Rush Limbaugh.”

But Republican plans to honor Limbaugh in resolutions and other citations is fostering fierce resistance from Democrats and raising questions about the protocols in issuing officially sanctioned tributes.

Already, officials have announced flags will not be lowered in Limbaugh’s honor at nine Florida Agriculture Department licensing offices, 38 state forests, 23 agriculture inspection stations, Oakland Park, Tampa and school districts.

State Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat and a potential 2022 gubernatorial candidate, said Monday she would defy any directive to lower flags at department sites.

“Lowering to half-staff the flag of the United States of America is a sacred honor that pays respect to fallen heroes and patriots,” she said. “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.”

Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Shultz, Miami, and Charlie Crist, St. Petersburg – also a potential 2022 gubernatorial hopeful – and Florida Senate Democratic leader Gary Farmer, D-Lighthouse Point, also denounced DeSantis’ directive.

Oakland Park Mayor Jane Bolin on Sunday called on cities to ignore the directive and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said he will defy the governor.

“Not lowering flags for Rush. In St. Pete,” he tweeted Monday, “we don’t honor hatred, racism, bigotry, homophobia, or anything else he has spewed over the years.”

Resistance is also expected from some of the state’s 74 school districts with Lee County teachers among those demanding local school boards not lower flags to honor Limbaugh.

Questions have also been raised about the governor’s prerogative under Florida law to anoint the honored on behalf of state residents.

State law stipulates flags can be lowered “in the event of the death of a present or former official of the Florida State government or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from Florida who dies while serving on active duty.”

That would seemingly preclude granting DeSantis authority to grant such honors to Limbaugh, but the Governor’s Office has its own flag protocols that simply state ”approval for displaying the flags at half-staff … resides with the Governor.”

Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square