US Capitol police investigating flag with swastika in Republican representative’s office – report
Authorities reportedly looking into modified flag displayed on cubicle wall of House member Dave Taylor’s staff
US Capitol police are reportedly investigating after a US flag bearing a swastika was discovered inside the office of Republican House member Dave Taylor of Ohio.
The image, obtained by Politico, shows a modified flag featuring red and white stripes arranged in the form of a swastika – which is virtually synonymous with the Nazis’ genocidal regime. The flag was displayed on what appears to be a cubicle wall behind Angelo Elia, one of Taylor’s staff members, during a virtual meeting.
Other items pinned nearby include a pocket constitution and a congressional calendar. It remains unclear whether Elia had any connection to the display.
“I am aware of an image that appears to depict a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office,” Taylor said in a statement to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“The content of that image does not reflect the values or standards of this office, my staff, or myself, and I condemn it in the strongest terms. Upon learning of this matter, I immediately directed a thorough investigation alongside Capitol Police, which remains ongoing. No further comment will be provided until it has been completed.”
According to his office, the flag was discovered on Tuesday afternoon inside Taylor’s suite in the Cannon building on Capitol Hill, Politico reported. The congressman suspects the act was “foul play or vandalism”, his spokesperson said.
When contacted by the Guardian for comment, an automatic response from the US Capitol police public information office was sent that said the office is “closed for routine business” during the funding-related federal government shutdown that began on 1 October. “The office will reopen when the federal government is funded,” the response said.
The discovery follows a report from Politico published on Tuesday detailing a Telegram chat in which Young Republican leaders exchanged racist comments and slurs, mocked the Holocaust, and expressed admiration for Nazi ruler Adolf Hitler.
The exposed chat has since been met with major backlash throughout the US, with some who participated being called to resign and at least one member having a job offer revoked.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you close this tab, we want to ask if you could support the Guardian at this crucial time for journalism in the US.
Not all journalism is the same. At the Guardian, we see it as our job not only to report the facts as we find them, but to give you the whole picture. Never sanitized or censored, our reporting provides the historical and global context necessary to fully understand the turbulent times in which we’re living.
As we witness the erosion of democratic norms and political stability in our country – with heightened violence and division, troops on city streets, attacks on academia and science, and disregard for the rule of law – the role of the press as an engine of scrutiny, truth and accountability becomes increasingly important.
At the Guardian, we proudly platform voices of dissent, and we are fearless when it comes to investigating corruption and challenging power. We don’t have a single viewpoint, but we do have a shared set of values: humanity, curiosity and honesty guide us, and our work is rooted in solidarity with ordinary people and hope for our shared future.
Not every news organization sees its mission this way – and nor is their editorial independence as ironclad as ours. In the past year, several large US media outlets have caved to outside pressure at the behest of their corporate and billionaire owners. We are thankful the Guardian is different.
Our only financial obligation is to fund independent journalism in perpetuity: we have no ultrarich owner, no shareholders, no corporate bosses with the power to overrule or influence our editorial decisions. Reader support is what guarantees our survival and safeguards our independence – and every cent we receive is reinvested in our work.
It has never been more urgent, or more perilous, to pursue reporting in the US that holds power to account and counters the spread of misinformation – and at the Guardian we make our journalism free and accessible to all. Can you spare just 37 seconds now to support our work and protect the free press?
We value whatever you can spare, but a recurring contribution makes the most impact, enabling greater investment in our most crucial, fearless journalism. As our thanks to you, we can offer you some great benefits – including seeing far fewer fundraising messages like this. We’ve made it very quick to set up, so we hope you’ll consider it. Thank you.
