Flag Day Scandal: Rep. West of Florida Drowns Old Glory

A congressman is again in the headlines for possibly mistreating the American flag- on Flag Day, no less!

Rep. Anthony Weiner was caught posting indecent images of his famous equipment wrapped in Old Glory on Facebook. Just kidding! (But wouldn’t that be so funny?) The congressman in question was actually Rep. Allen West (R-FL), who engaged in a Flag Day photo-op in the drink. West posed alongside the flag during a scuba trip, planting the stars and stripes underwater.

Silly, yes, but what’s the big deal? A Floridian blogger says that Rep. West’s actions violated federal law by allowing the flag to do any number of things it’s really not supposed to do:

A local blogger claims West violated the “Flag code,” which says that “[t]he flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.” There is no penalty for violating Flag Code.

“He violated U.S. federal law … and provided a pictorial of himself doing so,”the blogger wrote on Broward-Palm Beach New Times’s Web site.

West’s office responded to the allegations, saying the two-decade Army vet never intended to disrespect the flag:

“He went diving with several disabled veterans who fought to defend the American Flag and this nation,” West’s communications director, Angela Sachitano, said in an e-mail to Politico.

“In addition, Congressman West would like to wish everyone a Happy Flag Day.”

On Sunday, West told press that “it’s important wherever we are, that the flag flies.” So, should West resign?