MSNBC Anchor: Palin‘s Use of American Flag Could be ’Breach of Federal Law’

The Blaze ^ | June 1, 2011 | Jonathon M. Seidl

[FortWorthPatriot]

Martin Bashir, it seems, is not a fan of Sarah Palin. And during his MSNBC show and “Clear the Air” segment, he went looking for a way to roast the possible 2012 candidate who is now on a national bus tour. So what tool did he use to blast the woman even many of her detractors see as patriotic? The American flag.

According to Bashir, Palin could be breaking the law by displaying the American flag on her tour bus:



Here’s what he had to say:

"In fact, the whole thing could be in breach of a federal law because the United States Flag Code establishes important rules for the use and display of the stars and stripes, the flag of the United States. Under standards of respect and etiquette, it’s made clear that the flag of the United States should never be used for any advertising purpose whatsoever. Yet that’s precisely what Sarah Palin is doing. She’s using the flag of the United States for her own financial purposes. She drapes herself in the stars and stripes and makes millions of dollars in the process. This has got nothing to do with the presidency and everything to do with filling her pockets. And by raising her profile, she raises her income. It is as simple as that. So she was right when she said that hers is not a campaign bus. It‘s a cash bus and she’ll keep it rolling for as long as she can."

NewsBusters quickly takes Bashir to task, especially reminding him that the U.S. Flag Code is not federal law:

"The only problem: the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag burning is protected by the First Amendment. If flag burning is protected speech, certainly displaying the flag on a tour bus is legal. Or do the rules not apply to Sarah Palin? In Bashir’s warped sense of reality, conservatives like Palin would be arrested for flying the American flag at rallies in which they promote causes that Bashir does not support."

The Congressional Research Service, a non-partisan organization that provides legal analysis to members of Congress, clarified that observance of the Flag Code is “purely voluntary” in a 2008 congressional report: “While wearing the colors may be in poor taste and offensive to many, it is important to remember that the Flag Code is intended as a guide to be followed on a purely voluntary basis to insure proper respect for the flag.”

Considering Palin’s profile has been raised so much in the last week, she can expect attacks like this from the left. But attacks like this are a weak attempt at a nuanced smear campaign.

[FortWorthPatriot]

Now they are suddenly concerned about the American flag...

[hosepipe]

Seidl needs to talk to the HAND...

[Silentgypsy]

I recommended that they display a burning Koran to her PAC....

[KeepUSfree]

On top of that, I don’t SEE a flag. I see red & white stripes.

[afraidfortherepublic]

When I first heard reference to this pronouncement a couple of days ago, I thought “Who is Martin Bashir? Is that some kind of terrorist?”

I guess my first thought were right.

[lucky american]

This will go nowhere. Obama used a facsimile of the flag on his logo too.

[alstewartfan]

Yet ANOTHER concern troll. It’s comforting to know that so many media folks are watching her back.

[Roccus]

1) Bunting is not a flag.

2) Should NBC remove the flag(s) from in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza since NBC is a commercial enterprise?

[Doogle]

PALINPHOBIA

[Rebelbase]

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;q=quick;s=breach%20federal

[ßuddaßudd]

F U M B
effin brit

[R0CK3T]

Martin Bashir is a break of Natural Law.

Just sayin...

[Hoodat]

Beat me to it.

[FortWorthPatriot]

That’s what I see as well. They gotta find something, you know.

[Tzimisce]

And this is why no one is watching MSNBC.......

[zimfam007]

To quote Doc Holiday from Tombstone, “My hypocrisy knows no bounds.”

[Squantos]

She has these presstitute squirrels showing their nuts more an more every day.....awesome !

They are scared to death of this woman an I am loving every minute of their panic an posing !

Sarah 2012 !!!

[April Lexington]

Martin Bashir

How does someone of this intellect even get to be on TV?

[JPG]

This is taking PDS to a whole new level.

PDS+