Government Official Uses Old Glory to Sop Up Grease

The small Polk County town of Lake Hamilton is up in arms after its public works director used an American flag as a drop cloth.

J.D. Johnson was working on a lawn mower recently when he needed something to cover a greasy spot on the floor of the town’s maintenance barn, ABC Action News reported. Finding nothing else, he grabbed an old flag.

Johnson told FOX 13 he saw the flag laying around and just threw it down.

“So what, I mean?” FOX quoted him as saying.

Johnson’s use of the red, white and blue was made public when another city worker snapped a photo.

News of the incident traveled fast in the small town of about 1,200 people, sparking outrage.

“I thought it was very disrespectful,” Mayor Marlene Wagner told ABC. “We got letters, we got e-mails, we had citizens who were very, very unhappy.”

Johnson was suspended from his post for two weeks and has been ordered to attend a flag retirement ceremony. Wagner would also like an apology.

Johnson did tell ABC he respects Old Glory and will never repeat the act. He’s not sure why residents are so upset.

What are your thoughts on this? Tell us by commenting below!

Photo Credit: Patch File Photo