Now that the Washington, DC, paint vandal has been caught, the media has seemingly lost interest in the shocking story of damage done to the Lincoln Memorial and other beloved national treasures. Perhaps the accused perp’s diverse identity has something to do with the sudden quiet. Were the scribblers hoping against all reason that the defacer was a Tea Party member?

In fact, the arrested person is Jiamei Tian (pictured), 58, who was arrested with a soda can filled with green paint and whose clothes were spattered with the telltale color. She was identified by her Chinese passport and recently expired visa.

The green paint attacks in recent days included the Lincoln Memorial, a statue near the Smithsonian castle and the National Cathedral. Tian is thought by police to be connected to the other vandalism.

For a brief time, reports said there was a “language barrier” with the arrested person. On Tuesday, a Mandarin interpreter was brought to court.