CAPITOL HILL'S TOP MANAGER FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING FOR ALLEGED MISUSE OF POSITION The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no He has repeatedly abused taxpayer dollars.Even House Democrats think its time for Blanton to go. Blanton was appointed to the role by former President Donald Trump in 2019. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. After being given the opportunity to respond to numerous allegations of legal, ethical, and administrative violations, and failing to directly respond, the President has removed Mr. Brett Blanton from his position a decision I firmly stand behind, he said. James Brett Blanton is an American professional engineer who served as Architect of the Capitol (AOC) from January 2020 until February 13, 2023 overseeing the office of the Architect of the Capitol and its more than 2,400 employees. "You would have to address that with members of my family," Blanton responded. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been The Capitols architect oversees the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the U.S. Capitol complex. here for reprint permission. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump and remained in the job when Biden came into office. The complaint said that the black SUV's driver was "extremely reckless in the parking garage and swerving out of the garage at a high rate of speed, estimated to be about 65 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone.". He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy said in a tweet on Monday. President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. All of those elements played into the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. President Biden fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton Monday after lawmakers from both sides of the aisle demanded he resign or be fired. He has repeatedly abused taxpayer dollars. Zoom out: The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the Capitol and its surrounding grounds, which includes the House and Senate office buildings. [1] He was sworn in on January 16, 2020.[7]. Blanton said it "would have been not prudent" to drive to the Capitol that day because of the crowds,and he told the panel of lawmakers that he instead used the car as his "mobile command center" during the attack. NPR's Scott Detrow contributed to this report. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton, who was responsible for maintaining the U.S. Capitol, amid mounting allegations of ethics violations. His responsibilities include overseeing the Capitol's property management and operations. Blanton said in the hearing that he used the vehicle during an out-of-state family vacation because he was under the impression that I had to use that vehicle so he could have quick communication with the Capitol Police Board in case of any emergency. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Eli Lilly caps insulin costs at $35 per month, Shooting survivors American Idol tryout draws, Starbucks olive oil drinks a curiosity in Italy, Mansion shown on fire in listing pics gets new owner, Trooper rescues, adopts injured kitten on highway, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. In November 2022, a report from the office of the Inspector General found that Blanton and his family had repeatedly misused the resources of his office. Blanton, who remains the only member of the U.S. Capitol Police Board not to resign in the wake of the incident, also answered questions about his misuse of government-provided SUVs and deliberate misrepresentation of himself as a police officer among other accusations which include giving private tours to patriots in the weeks Mr. Blanton's incompetency is a danger to his office, and I join @RepJoeMorelle to call for his immediate resignation," Torres tweeted. He should resign or President Biden should remove him He previously called for Blanton to be terminated. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton, a White House official told NBC News on Monday, in the wake of a report that said he had abused his authority and misused taxpayer money overseeing the Capitol complex. J. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, was grilled by House Committee on Administration members last week. His explanation of being off campus during the day of Jan. 6 enraged some lawmakers. The report also found that Blanton had been improperly identified as an off-duty police officer during an incident when he chased down a hit-and-run that happened outside his residence. The office of the architect did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Architect of the Capitol, Office of the Inspector General. "His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately.". Calls for Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blantons ouster or resignation are getting louder in the wake of a fiery House Administration hearing earlier this week. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, Blanton said in the hearing. The inspector general found that Blanton's wife made "multiple social media posts" about the tours. The House Republicans' Twitter account on Friday requested Biden to remove Blanton immediately. The move comes after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) urged the president to oust Blanton on Monday, contending that he lost faith in him. Steil suggested that Congress could reorganize the Capitol Police board in light of Blantons failure to be on Capitol grounds. The Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on the impact of climate change and sea level rise on coastal communities as lawmakers reach an impasse on addressing the problem. "If you need to be tethered, and if you needed a vehicle to be here, why did you make the decision not to come here and could you not have without the vehicle and all the emergency equipment that's attached to it? Did You Ever Wonder How and Why the Left Is Able to Push Their Narratives Almost Unhindered? Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. The federal watchdog also accused Blanton, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, of ethics violations over an offer to provide tours to patriots weeks before the November 2020 election. He obviously The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Blanton oversees a workforce of nearly 2,000 and is also part of the US Capitol Police Board. "All PATRIOTS welcome," one of her posts proclaimed. He came under fire after an inspector general report found 'administrative, ethical, and policy violations'. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted Monday. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. The job of the Capitol architect is to manage the massive landmark and its surrounding grounds. Blanton responded that he did not have police radios and sufficient equipment in his house. Based on the conduct alleged by the Inspector General and todays testimony, I am no longer confident in Mr. Blantons ability to effectively perform the duties of his office. Why a DC crime bill is creating big problems for, EPA proposal expected to expand sales of high-ethanol, House Republicans open investigation into role of, US intelligence: No evidence foreign adversaries, What to know about OKs recreational marijuana question, Oklahoma prepares for rec. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. On December 19, 2019, the full Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote. The inspector generals report, released in October, said Blanton had misused his government vehicle by driving it to vacation destinations and allowing his family to use it for personal matters. "I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I have engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country while serving in this particular role, I have taken my commitment to transform the agency's culture to promote positive workplace for every AOC employee," Blanton said. The report is filled with errors, omissions, mischaracterizations, misstatements and conclusory statements lacking evidence.. The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning, which is, in part, why our first hearing was dedicated to providing oversight over the AOC. I look forward to continuing to conduct robust oversight to ensure our government is accountable to the American people, Steil said in a statement on Monday. After being given the opportunity to respond to numerous allegations of legal, ethical, and administrative violations, and failing to directly respond, the President has removed Mr. Brett Blanton from his position a decision I firmly stand behind, Mr. Morelle said in a statement. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisc. In the fall, an inspector general report accused Blanton of abuse of government property and wasting taxpayer dollars by allowing his family to drive a government-owned vehicle and taking the vehicle on out-of-town trips to South Carolina and Florida, according to the report. Doctors prescribe Ozempic off label: Is that OK? Steil also called for Blanton to resign Monday. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, has been terminated, the White House said. Based on that behavior, Blanton has also been accused of giving the impression that he was in law enforcement. His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately, Mr. Steil said in a statement. All Rights Reserved. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), the ranking member on the House Administration Committee, welcomed Blanton's ouster. The vehicle was driven for some 30,000 miles despite limitations to use for official work only. Twitter reversed the suspension of Sen. Mike Lees (R-Utah) personal account on Wednesday afternoon, hours after it was locked for unknown reasons. Lee appeared to regain access to his @BasedMikeLee account around 2:30 p.m., when users were able to see his Tweets once again. Thanks to all who assisted in operation #Free@basedMikeLee. "I am outraged that you would be in a comfortable place while the rest of us were thinking about dying that day and how we were going to come out alive that day, outrageous that you were not here," she said. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle jumped on that. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been accused of several infractions by both parties after a recent report. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he testified. He added that the Architect of the Capitol's "refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately.". Maybe Morelle forgot that Democrats lost control of the House. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy. WaPo: FBI resisted Mar-a-Lago raid, DoJ prosecutors demanded it. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Blantons refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the agency and must resign immediately, House Administration Committee chairman Bryan Steil added. "Blanton told the other party involved that it was a government vehicle, he was an 'agent' and he did not have insurance information because the government would handle the insurance claim," according to the report. Spokane, Washington Est. 2023 - The American Digest - All Rights Reserved, Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton fired by Joe Biden after Kevin McCarthy demanded resignation, Watchdog group finds Capitol Police and FBI ignored "credible threats" prior to Jan. 6th riot at the Capitol, Elizabeth Warren's CFPB to have fate determined by Supreme Court, Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announces resignation from the Biden administration, Up to 14 million will lose Medicaid coverage over next 12 months, After leaving the GOP,87-year-old New Jersey state senator abandons his reelection bid, Ted Cruz says Dr. Fauci will be responsible for future pandemic deaths, Don Lemon removed from key hosting role by CNN after Haley remarks. A number of Democrats, including Torres, also called for Blanton's ouster. In another instance, he called himself an "agent" after he got in an accident at a brewery while using the vehicle on vacation, the report found. In his opening statement, Blanton told the committee that he was "frustrated" with the OIG's report, which he said follows what he called a "predetermined" narrative based on what he considers "picked facts. [10] Congressional representatives called for Blanton to resign. Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton was fired by President Biden Monday for a series of ethical violations, including his not being present on the grounds during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Haley Talbot is an associate producer in the NBC News Washington bureau. An investigation conducted by the Architect of the Capitol Inspector General's Office found Blanton had "abused his authority, misused government property and wasted taxpayer money, among other substantiated violations.". He was nominated by Trump on Dec. 9, 2019. The driver turned out to be Blanton's daughter, who also "made obscene gestures toward" the complainant "while at the stop sign outside the parking garage." 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