Despite the law being on their side and at least some of them having risked their lives for their country, Nancy Hurlbert, Chairwoman of the Lake County Democratic Party basically called a group of Amercan veterans racists for simply wanting to see the law upheld. How else to interpret her remark?

Hurlbert said Tuesday’s incident was the first time anyone had complained about the flag, which she received as a gift two months ago. “It leads me to believe that it’s not about the flag,” she told FoxNews.com. “Certain elements cannot accept Barack Obama as president.”

At issue was an American flag defaced with the image of Barack Obama, while flying above a Florida county’s Democratic headquarters. The practice is in violation of Florida state law, as well as the federal flag code. Hurlbert would not even agree to not flying the flag in the future.

“It’s absolutely disrespectful,” Jim Bradford, a 71-year-old veteran who participated in the Bay of Pigs Invasion told FoxNews.com. “It’s totally ridiculous. To put somebody’s picture there, to me, it’s a disgrace to do that.”

Bradford, an organizer with the Veterans Memorial at Fountain Park in Leesburg, Fla., snapped photos of the flag and distributed them to fellow veterans and friends. By late afternoon, he and several other veterans delivered a copy of the federal flag code to Nancy Hurlbert, chairwoman of the Lake County Democratic Party.

At link is the pertinent statute, quoted below. Here is the Flag Code, as updated last on April 14, 2008.

Jenn Meale, communications director for Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, referred FoxNews.com to state laws that pertain to the use of flags on public lands and property when asked for clarification as to whether Hurlbert could face any penalties.

Statute 256.05, which covers improper use of state or United States flag, or other symbol of authority, reads: “No person shall, in any manner, for exhibition or display:

“(1) Place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing or advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, color, ensign or shield of the United States or of this state, or authorized by any law of the United States or this state; or “

(2) Expose to public view any such flag, standard, color, ensign or shield upon which shall have been printed, painted or otherwise produced, or to which shall have been attached, appended, affixed or annexed any such word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing or advertisement.”

Democratic County Chairwoman Nancy Hurlbert seems to have taken playing the race card to a whole new level.