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Dave Taylor swastika flag row: Who is Angelo Elia and why is the staffer under fire?
Rep. Dave Taylor condemned a swastika flag of USA found in his office after a viral photo showed it behind his aide, Angelo Elia, during a virtual meeting.
Dave Taylor, a Republican Congressman from Ohio, is under fire after an American flag with a swastika symbol was found displayed at his office on Tuesday. The viral photo got leaked and was reported on by Politico after it was seen in the background of Angelo Elia, Rep. Dave Taylor's legislative correspondent, during a virtual meeting.
Taylor has acknowledged the incident and said that it is "vile" and condemned it in "the strongest terms."
“I am aware of an image that appears to depict a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office," he said. "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."
Who is Angelo Elia? Controversy Explained
According to Angelo Elia's profile on LegiStrom, a database for US-based legal staffers, he is a legal aide to Dave Taylor. It states that Elia advises Taylor on critical legal issues, such as, economics and public finance, government operations and politics, housing and community development. He has been working with Taylor since January 2025, it states.
Elia was on a virtual meeting when it was found that a morphed photo of a US flag with the white stripes changed into a swastika symbol was pasted on the cupboard behind him. Alongside it was a photo of the Constitution and a calendar of the US Congress. The photo quickly went viral before it was reported on Politico.
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The report noted that it is not clear whether Angelo Elia had any role to play in the swastika flag row at Taylor's office.
While the incident is under investigation, a representative from the office of Taylor said that the swastika flag was likely an act of vandalism, but further details will come up in the investigation.
Dave Taylor's office is at 325 Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC.
