As Twitchy reported earlier this week, USA Today congressional reporter Zach Schermele posted what he thought was a big scoop on X. He's since deleted his original post with the photo, but it read:
NEW: A controversial Christian nationalist flag is hanging outside the D.C. office of a top Education Department official, the agency's union and an employee who has observed it firsthand told me.
The flag, which was raised by rioters during the Jan. 6 insurrection, is adorning the office of Murray Bessette, principal deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.
The "Appeal to Heaven" flag is the same that was flown outside the vacation home of conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in 2023, according to the NYT.
Oh, so we're doing the "Appeal to Heaven" flag as a symbol of white nationalism narrative again.
Schermele posted this to explain the deletion:
Deleted my initial tweet. This flag is more accurately described as a “symbol associated with Christian nationalism." ⁰⁰Please read our full story with the relevant context here: https://t.co/M09yfxqGf6 pic.twitter.com/IBcXCim0GC
— Zach Schermele (@ZachSchermele) December 16, 2025
No, we'll pass on reading the full story with the "relevant context."
We were waiting for Democrats to pounce, and Sen. Ed Markey seems to have been the first to have taken the bait.
I’ve previously called out the Small Business Administration for flying the Appeal to Heaven flag–a symbol of white Christian nationalism favored by January 6 insurrectionists. Now, a high-ranking Department of Education official has it outside his office. Unacceptable. Take it…
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) December 17, 2025
Recommended
"Unacceptable. Take it down."
Come and take it, Markey.
The surest way to get me to purchase and fly an "Appeal to Heaven" flag is to note the type of America-hating neo-Marxist goons who are offended by it. https://t.co/HJVICvahMD pic.twitter.com/zkGw7NXQwg
— Cynical Publius (@CynicalPublius) December 17, 2025
Are you drunk again?
— Savannah Insights 🎙️ (@BasedSavannah) December 17, 2025
The flag was commissioned under the first U.S. President George Washington’s authority to intercept British supply ships. It became associated with the early Continental Navy and Massachusetts Naval forces.
Are you sure you’re from Massachusetts? 🤦 pic.twitter.com/dBW6OoH1i3
So George Washington was a "white Christian nationalist."
— Cynical Publius (@CynicalPublius) December 17, 2025
It must be true, Markey read it in USA Today.
Cry about it. pic.twitter.com/FOGamgYzK1
— 𝙼𝚁. 𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙳𝚂𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶𝙴𝚁 (@Lead_Flinger) December 18, 2025
😂 Get some new material, man, and try to catch up!
— jron (@jronnychi) December 18, 2025
Does a certain congresswoman have a Palestinian flag displayed outside of her office?
— TrueWest (@Trestresjolie) December 17, 2025
Unacceptable. Take it down.
We’re not doing this anymore.
— Ebenezer Locke (@blocke1775) December 18, 2025
Once there is nary a "pride" or "transgender" flag to be found anywhere in the Capitol, we'll consider it. And reject it.
— Darth Cirrocu, Disinformation Expert (@DarthCirrocu) December 17, 2025
Ed Markey is posting complaints about the historic Appeal to Heaven flag flown by American patriots for centuries. This is unacceptable. Take him down.
— Sean Newton (@TheOtherSean22) December 17, 2025
We get it. You hate anything that has to do with the founding of our country. Your ilk also try to demonize the Betsy Ross flag. Shameful.
— Bonnie Blue and Zoe (@BonnieBlueTK) December 18, 2025
Remember when Gov. Gavin Newsom said Nike did the right thing by pulling shoes that featured the Betsy Ross flag … the same flag that flew prominently at President Joe Biden's inauguration. Nike bent the knee to Colin Kaepernick, who told the company it shouldn’t sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others consider offensive.
Oh. You’re offended.
— Gena San Nicolas (@GenaSanNicolas1) December 18, 2025
Yawn.
Thanks for the endorsement of said flag.
— Andrew Sheraiah Davidson (@ReflectionsofAD) December 17, 2025
I will now be purchasing and flying one, not because of your professed "meaning," but for the sole reason that it offends you.
I think I’ll fly mine for the holidays. May God deliver us from tyrants.
— Scott Jones (@CdrScott72) December 18, 2025
We already did this "controversy." No matter how much USA Today and Markey want to revive it, it's not happening.
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