“I was incredulous. Really?” Former National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet reflected on the hostile questioning her colleague, Anthea M. Hartig, faced during a recent congressional hearing for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Sajet warned that it felt like “a real witch hunt,” and expressed concern over the nature of the yes/no questions posed to Hartig. “Wouldn’t it be lovely if history was that black and white?” she mused, adding, “They don't want nuance; they just want sound bites.”

Despite her concerns, Sajet defended both Hartig’s work and her own, stating: “The Museum of American History simply reports on what happened; we didn’t judge the actions. Same for us at the Portrait Gallery.”

After the hearing, Sajet texted Hartig to offer sympathy, noting that such an experience is not typically part of a job application’s itinerary.