Texas judge: Orlando shooting not a national tragedy

GOLIAD COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- A Texas judge is now explaining why he defied President Obama's orders to fly the flag at half staff after the Orlando mass shooting.

Goliad County Judge Pat Calhoun called Omar Mateen a 'thug,' but says he did not see the nation's worst terrorist attack since September 11 as "a national tragedy."

"If we lower it for everybody ever time some thug kills someone else, pretty soon, we may not have flag poles because we're going to be lowering them all the time," Calhoun told KAVU-TV.

Calhoun says lowering the flags are meant to honor the passing of U.S. or foreign dignitaries, servicemen, or during times of national tragedy.

The judge says he'll take his lumps, but so far, nobody has argued with him over it.