A photograph of an American flag altered into a swastika inside Rep. Dave Taylor’s (R-Ohio) Washington office has triggered a Capitol Police investigation — the latest eruption of controversy to hit Republican ranks after thousands of vile racist and antisemitic texts among Young Republican leaders were leaked this week.

The disturbing image, first reported by Politico, shows a flag with its red-and-white stripes twisted into a Nazi symbol hanging behind Taylor staffer Angelo Elia during a virtual meeting. The photo, shared online by Ohio blogger DJ Byrnes, also shows a pocket Constitution and congressional calendar beside the distorted emblem.

Taylor condemned the image and called in Capitol Police, saying it “does not reflect the values or standards of this office.” The Ohio Republican suggested the flag may have been planted as an act of “foul play or vandalism,” and said an internal probe is underway. His office declined to say whether Elia — who joined the staff in January and holds a master’s in legislative affairs from George Washington University — has been suspended or fired.

The timing could not be worse for Republicans already scrambling to contain fallout from a separate Politico investigation into a private Young Republicans chat group where party activists were caught praising Adolf Hitler and using racial slurs. The 2,900-page trove of messages includes participants from multiple state chapters, including leaders from New York and Kansas.

In one exchange, a former New York state chair reportedly wrote, “I love Hitler.” Another joked about driving their “enemies” to suicide.

The dual scandals — a swastika flag in a congressional office and a hate-filled group chat among rising GOP operatives — have deepened internal unease among Republican aides on Capitol Hill. One senior GOP staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the timing “could not be more catastrophic” as party leaders try to project discipline heading into the 2026 midterms.

Capitol Police have confirmed an active investigation into the image found in Taylor’s office, but have released no further details.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)