Posted on 11/06/2006 11:57:48 AM PST by Keyes2000mt
Boise, Idaho -- Police arrested 24-year old Michael Burkett of Boise early Sunday morning after officers with Capitol Mall Security reported spotting him vandalizing two flag polls on the grounds of the Idaho Statehouse.
The flags are memorials to soldiers who lost their lives in the war on terror.
"It's certainly upsetting, not just to officers but for any citizen of this county who knows somebody who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan," Lt. Ron Winegar said of the ongoing investigation.
Burkett was charged with resisting arrest and Malicious Injury to Property. He and his 22-year-old brother, Tom Burkett, also charged with the vandalism, are the sons of state Sen. Michael Burkett (D) of Idaho's 19th district.
Michael Burkett told Fox 12 News he had no comment on the matter except to say his sons were involved in a run-in with police last night. He also denied the fact that run-in had anything to do with vandalizing flags.
"For someone to desecrate a flag, I mean that's not only is it dishonorable, it's downright ignorant," said Tom Titus, whose son Brandon was killed in Iraq two years ago.
The flagpole with Brandon's name on it was bent so badly that police say the flag was laying on the ground.
"It hurts knowing that a flag was taken down with my son's name on it. And I hurt for the other families whose flags were desecrated," Titus said.
The decorated Vietnam vet says he's no stranger to this kind of vandalism. In fact Titus says someone ripped up a flag from a pole in his front yard. The flag was hand delivered to him by U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo's office the same week his son died.
"They were the only (elected officials) that visited me after Brandon died," Titus said. "You can't put a price on that flag."
Since that incident, Titus has taken steps to protect his keepsakes from vandals. That includes installing motion detector lights in his front yard and treating a stone, engraved with Brandon's name, with an anti-graffiti film.
And even though his son's flag at the State House has been bent back to normal, Titus thinks the Burkett's and their father should make a personal apology to the families affected by their alleged vandalism.
"If they want to go out and have some fun, if they think it's fun, then maybe they ought to have fun when they meet somebody like me," Titus said.
Damage to each flag is estimated at approximately $200.
The other flag that was pulled out of the ground has also been replaced. It had Army Spec. Carrie French's name on it.
How did I know they were democrats?
Damn Defeatocrats...that's what they are.
Flag polls?
Amazing! Can you imagine the crap that's been stuffed into these two over the years by the father and family for them to do this at the age of 22 and 24? That alone should be enough to end their father's political carreer. But with Dems it's a resume enhancer.
Somebody should bend their knees forward.
More typical disrespect from Rats. Even the dead aren't safe from them.
Michael Burkett told Fox 12 News he had no comment on the matter except to say his sons were involved in a run-in with police last night. He also denied the fact that run-in had anything to do with vandalizing flags.
Hmmm How can he not have a comment and how can he deny the run in with police was due to the fact his sons were vandalizing flags? Another parent in denial?
That's the first thing that cot my I two.
Yeah, something like that.
I think they ought to claim it as a hate crime.
wish Drudge would post a link to this...
Damn vandalims!
Flag polls?
&&
Sometimes that happens with vandalims.
Vandalims?
Oh no, this is so series!
I wonder if there were any Jon Carry sightings in the area?
Please do not alter article titles. Thank you.
Disgusting
There is an obvious philosophical/reasoning absence that allows them to "not think through" their decisions.
Really?????????...
22 and 24......time to get a life, losers!
Those danged Vandals, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, and Lombards. The Vandals always were the worst of the crowd...
(D) -- 4th paragraph.
"How did I know they were democrats?"
Easy - they didn't mention the party until paragraph 4 (although I must say it's surprising they found that part newsworthy at all.)
Demo-damage, remember the slashed tires in Milwaukee?
But the dead can and do vote for Rats.
I can see this all over CNN headlines... oh but never mind. I just got mixed up thinking that CNN was actually a news channel... silly me!
22 and 24? I expected the article to list their ages as 12 and 14.
Dumb slacker lib kids.
Bring back the draft!
At least he can be relieved those boys are too smart to be stuck in Iraq. He must be proud.
--state Sen. Michael Burkett (D)--
Any relation to the Texas Burkett of Rathergate-Kinko-Forgery fame? It wouldn't be surprising.
Are you stuck in Iraq?
BUMP!
Roger that. There is no property worthy of respect in their communist world.
Because their SOP is to side-step questions and always lie about facts?
This is EXACTLY what we are voting on tomorrow..those who love the United States(R)....and those that hate it(D)....
black and white..cut and dried
Their father is Boise Sen. Mike Burkett, a Democrat facing Republican Charles Seldon in Tuesday's election.
The son of a bit...I mean DummiecRat....of course he is a vandal. His father is a deviant.
This is one of the reasons I carry the tagline that I do.
District 19: North and East Boise
• Senate: Mike Burkett. With his lawyer's eye for legislative detail and eight years in the Senate, Burkett has the intelligence and experience for the Legislature. His consistent Democratic views fit his district well.
By contrast, Republican Charles Seldon centers his race on trying to return the Bible to public schools and criticizing Burkett's American Civil Liberties Union membership.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/101/story/58639.html
Will this DUmmie's father get re-elected ?
Here in Fresno a couple of weeks ago a member of Peace Fresno harrassed the mother of a Marine who had died in Iraq earlier this year. Asked her how many kids her son had killed and other really disgusting stuff. There are members of the left who hate our troops.
Twenty-four-year-old Michael Burkett was arrested and 22-year-old Thomas Burkett was cited for allegedly damaging flags and flagpoles on the grounds of the Idaho Capitol building this morning.
Police say Michael Burkett also resisted and obstructed officers.
Boise Police say one flag pole had been bent so the flag was lying on the ground, the other had been pulled from the ground.
Their father is Boise Senator Mike Burkett, a Democrat facing Republican Charles Seldon in Tuesday's election.
As one who grew up in Idaho, it's religion, farming and sportsmen-conservationists (who have no love for the Kennedy family meddling in Idaho's land use decisions), military and entrepreneurs that keeps it mostly sane. And the water is excellent there.
Senator Burkett says he thinks his sons are innocent, while the boys' mother, Sharon Burkett, says the entire event was a "misunderstanding."
What horrible little pukes! And their father, too! I'd like to beat them with a flag pole!
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