OT: Sad Story

And emerged puzzled. How is it that a Governor can order that Federal flags are to fly at half-mast. Such an order appears to be in excess of hi authority since such an act indicates not just a state (where he was acting within his authority) in mourning but a nation in mourning.

Can anyone clarify this for me?

Bill

Yes, re-read the story. Here is a quote from it: "Lynch ordered that US and state flags be flown at half-staff. About 100 officers saluted Briggs as the flag was lowered at departmental headquarters, which is draped in black bunting."

Note that it says "US flags". I fly a US flag in front of my house. We have a US flag at work. We have a US flag at our local police station, our schools, our state capitol, and most every state building in the state. On a second flag pole, they often have a State flag flying also. If they are on a state building, they can be ordered to half mast by our Governor. .

IMHO

The federal flags are flown by state agencies, which are responsible to the state govenor.

That said, I don't know if federal facilities wouldn't go along with the state out of respect.

Andy

The relevant section of the US code may be found at .

Read about halfway down paragraph (m), and you'll find that the governors of states are explicitly granted the authority when a state official or former state official dies.

If a lawyer wanted to make a big deal out of it one could quibble over whether a city police officer was an official of the state within the intent of the law, but that might already have been addressed by case law.