U.S. Court of Appeals Affirms Dismissal of Gadsden Flag Complaint; New Rochelle Veterans Headed to Supreme Court

NEW YORK, NY — The United States Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court decision of December 2014 affirming the City of New Rochelle’s right to regulate flags flown on City property.

City officials are portraying the case as closed.

“We are once again gratified that the Court system has sided with the City in agreeing to dismiss this claim.” said City Manager Charles B. Strome, III who distributed out a statement claiming the Appeals Court decision “puts to rest” a 2013 lawsuit brought against the City by the United Veterans Memorial & Patriotic Association claiming the City violated their right to fly the Gadsden flag on the City-owned former Armory property.

“I’m happy it’s over.” said Council Member Jared Rice. “Too much taxpayer money was wasted in defense of this baseless suit.”

Any celebration at City Hall may be premature.

Lawyers for the United Veterans are now preparing to take the case to the United States Supreme Court.

“Without question, we are absolutely continuing the case”, said attorney, Erin Mersino of the Thomas More Law Center. “We are filing in the U.S. Supreme Court and look forward to review by the highest court.”

Asked about the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals Mersino said “the Second Circuit rubber-stamped the lower court’s decision.”

“The United Veterans have been flying patriotic flags for 16 years at the New Rochelle Armory, a building all but abandoned by the City of New Rochelle and they have ever right to continue to fly the Gadsden Flag and any other patriotic flag”.

The deadline for the Thomas More Law Center to file with the U.S. Supreme Court is December 8th.

A copy of the September 9, 2015 decision is here.

The event that started it all here was reported exclusively by Talk of the Sound: Veterans Retire Flag at New Rochelle Armory in Stirring Ceremony

City Confiscates “Don’t Tread on Me” Flag After Veterans Told Flag Could Remain Over Armory

City of New Rochelle Removes Unauthorized “Don’t Tread on Me” Flag from Armory After Complaints

New Rochelle City Council Votes Down Gadsden Flag Equating “Don’t Tread on Me” with Stars and Bars and Gay Pride Flag, Fertel Says “People died fighting under the Confederate flag too.”

Gadsden Flag History Lesson

Mayor Noam Bramson Addresses Gadsden Flag Controversy

New Rochelle Mayor Caught up in Gadsden Flag Controversy Has Long Standing Disdain for the United States Armed Forces

As Bramson and Rice Hide From Media, New Rochelle City Manager Tells Evolving Tale of How How “Don’t Tread on Me Flag” Came Down

PURE BRAMSONIAN POLITICS: New Rochelle City Council Had No Problem with Gadsden Flag in 2012

Jared Rice: “I Have A Special Role To Play in Today’s Civil Rights Movement”