A Republican congressman from Ohio said on Wednesday that his office and the U.S. Capitol Police were investigating after an American flag that had been altered to depict a swastika was found in his Capitol Hill office.
A photo of the flag, which was obtained and reported by Politico, shows that some of its red and white stripes had been arranged into the shape of a swastika. Politico reported that the image was taken during a virtual meeting that included one of Mr. Taylor’s staff members.
“I am aware of an image that appears to depict a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office,” Mr. Taylor said in a statement. “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.”
His office said the flag, which appeared to be pinned to a cubical wall, was “vandalism.”
Mr. Taylor is a first-term congressman representing a district east of Cincinnati. Upon learning of the image, he said in the statement, he “immediately” opened an investigation alongside the U.S. Capitol Police. The investigation is continuing, and “no further comment will be provided until it has been completed,” he said.
In response to an email seeking comment, the Capitol Police said its public information office was closed because of the government shutdown. The department did not immediately respond to a phone message.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Taylor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hannah Ziegler is a general assignment reporter for The Times, covering topics such as crime, business, weather, pop culture and online trends.
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