Flag flap: Flags at convention 'rescued' or taken?

COLORADO SPRINGS - Some supporters of Sen. John McCain brought trash bags of American flags they say they found after Sen. Barack Obama spoke at INVESCO Field at Mile High to a rally for McCain and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin.

McCain supporters said a vendor found the trash bags full of flags after the Aug. 28 event.

In a statement, Damon Jones with the Democratic National Convention Committee said, "Stories circulating about flags from the Democratic National Convention are false. More than 125,000 American-made flags were distributed at the Convention - any flags removed from the Convention after the event were taken without authorization."

Jones continued by saying, "It's disappointing that someone would take American flags without authorization and then falsely describe their intended purpose. We have the utmost respect for the American flag and it's sad to see them being used for a cheap political stunt."

A spokesperson for the DNC, Karen Finney, e-mailed this statement to 9NEWS:

"American flags were proudly waved by the 75,000 people who joined Barack Obama at the Democratic Convention. John McCain should applaud that, but instead his supporters wrongfully took leftover bundles of our flags from the stadium to play a cheap political stunt calling into question our patriotism. On the same day he agrees to join Barack Obama at Ground Zero on September 11, John McCain attacks the patriotism of Obama supporters who so proudly waved the American flag at our historic event in Denver just days ago."

U.S. Code says the proper method for disposing of an American flag is actually burning, provided it is "no longer a fitting emblem for display."

The United States Flag Store, which sells full-sized and miniature flags, says on its Web site that flags can also be put in the trash, when they are "worn, damaged or tattered beyond repair."