Following the death of conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, Gov. Ron DeSantis said flags will be lowered to half-staff on Wednesday in his honor.
Limbaugh was a radio host and Florida resident who ripped into liberals, foretold the rise of Donald Trump and laid waste to political correctness with a merry brand of malice that made him one of the most powerful voices on the American right. He died Wednesday.
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Limbaugh suffered from stage IV lung cancer. He was 70.
DeSantis shared a statement on Twitter following news of his death saying:
.@FLCaseyDeSantis and I are saddened to learn of the passing of fellow Floridian and our friend, Rush Limbaugh. My statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/L4GuZZNhfy
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 17, 2021
During a press conference on Friday, DeSantis said flags in Florida would be lowered for Limbaugh once funeral arrangements were made.
“I know they’re still figuring out the arrangements but what we do when there’s things of this magnitude, once the date of interment for Rush is announced, we’re going to be lowering the flags to half-staff,” the governor said.
On Tuesday evening, he released a statement saying flags would be lowered Wednesday at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, the City Hall of Palm Beach and the State Capitol in Tallahassee from sunrise to sunset.
His announcement came a day after President Joe Biden issued a proclamation ordering flags be lowered until Friday evening in remembrance of the 500,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried was quick to call out DeSantis’ decision to lower flags for Limbaugh.
.@GovRonDeSantis is lowering Florida's flags to half-staff for Rush Limbaugh.
— Nikki Fried (@nikkifried) February 19, 2021
But he had no words for Congressman John Lewis.
Priorities. https://t.co/ZdYsCkaorP
She said Monday that she would defy the governor’s request.
“Lowering to half-staff the flag of the United States of America is a sacred honor that pays respect to fallen heroes and patriots. It is not a partisan political tool,” Fried said. “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.”
Former President Donald Trump, during a State of the Union speech, awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
The Associated Press contributed to this story