Thursday, March 28, 2024

S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Lindsey Graham to Call for Confederate Flag Removal at 4 p.m. Today

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (R) and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (R) and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

*South Carolina’s Republican Governor Nikki Haley and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham will appear at a joint press conference at 4 p.m. today (June 22) to formally call for the removal of the Confederate flag from the state capitol.

Graham previously said the flag “is part of who we are,” but that he would be “fine” with taking the symbol down.

Debate over the flag was reignited after nine African Americans at a Bible study gunned down by a white supremacist at a historically black church in Charleston. When flags were lowered to half-staff in remembrance of those who were killed, the Confederate flag — which has flown next to the Confederate Soldier’s Monument since 2000, when it was removed from atop the South Carolina capitol dome – remained at full stagg, because it’s held in place by a padlock. By law, the flag couldn’t be removed.

By law, it must fly at a height of 30 feet. Any changes must be passed by a supermajority (two-thirds) of the General Assembly.

South Carolina’s Code of Laws allows the governor to order the lowering of the state and U.S. flags flying atop the capitol building to half-staff, which Gov. Nikki Haley has done. But it’s the Legislature, not the governor, who has the legal authority to alter the Confederate flag  – per Title 1 Chapter 10 of state law:

“The flag authorized to be flown at a designated location on the grounds of the Capitol Complex is the South Carolina Infantry Battle Flag of the Confederate States of America. This flag must be flown on a flagpole located at a point on the south side of the Confederate Soldier Monument, centered on the monument, 10 feet from the base of the monument at a height of 30 feet.”

“The provisions of this section may only be amended or repealed upon passage of an act which has received a two-thirds vote on the third reading of the bill in each branch of the General Assembly.”

Several politicians have weighed in on the flag, with 2012 presidential rivals Mitt Romney (R) and President Barack Obama agreeing that the flag should come down. Some South Carolina politicians had a different take, with Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) saying removing the flag “should not be the immediate solution.”

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