brett blanton resignation
J. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, was grilled by House Committee on Administration members last week. Mr. Blanton was accused in the report of misrepresenting himself as a law enforcement officer, leading banned tours of the Capitol and misusing his government-issued vehicle. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds, and wasting taxpayer money. Could you not have fulfilled the same function at home using a cell phone? Morelle asked Blanton. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. Ranking member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) was so unsatisfied by Blantons performance, he called for his resignation #FireBlanton https://t.co/Ijf1xNCsxY. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he testified. J. Brett Blanton, the architect of the Capitol, speaks at the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov. 29. 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 Blanton denied misrepresenting himself as law enforcement, saying that it was a mistake on the part of Fairfax County Police after Blanton identified himself a Capitol Police Board Member.. The Architect of the Capitol is one of three members of the board that oversees the Capitol Police, along with the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms. Blanton oversees a workforce of nearly 2,000 and is also part of the US Capitol Police Board. There were aggressive calls for Blantons resignation immediately following the shocking violence that unfolded during the January 6, 2021 insurrection. "All PATRIOTS welcome," one of her posts proclaimed. Blanton denied any ethical violations during the hearing on Thursday. Blanton was "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," Morelle said in a statement. Republican members on the panel were infuriated when Blanton, who was appointed in 2019 and was in charge of the Capitol's security, cited pandemic work-from-home policies when asked why he was not on site the morning of Jan. 6. In the fall,an inspector general reportaccused 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. An inspector general report released in October found that Blanton and his family had misused Architect of the Bill would get rid of the Democratic Party in Fla. 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"I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately, he said. NBC News has asked Blanton's office for comment. If you want the facts, then sign up below and join our movement for objective news: Get news from American Digest in your inbox. 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.". According to the report, Blanton repeatedly misused his government-issued vehicle, misrepresented himself as a law enforcement officer, and led private tours of the Capitol. Doctors prescribe Ozempic off label: Is that OK? Blanton said he was monitoring developments remotely during the Jan. 6 riot. Blanton was appointed to the role by former President Donald Trump in 2019. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. "The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning," Steil said. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted Monday. President Joe Biden has fired embattled Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, who oversees the historic building that houses Congress and its expansive grounds, as pressure mounted for his removal following a scathing inspector general report of personal and management lapses. The big picture: An inspector general report last year accused Brett Blanton, who was appointed by former President Trump, of abusing his authority. Action-backed rhetoric fuels uncandidate DeSantis' launch strategy, I asked ChatGPT to invent a new cocktail. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, Mr. McCarthy tweeted Monday. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisc. A White House official confirmed the decision, telling Axios: [A]fter doing our due diligence, the Architect of Capitol was terminated at the president's direction.. Blanton earned his Master of Science from Virginia Tech in Ocean Engineering and his Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1993. Still no explanation [], The top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Tuesdays briefing on on the classified materials seized at President Bidens home and office and former President Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate left much to be desired. The Gang of Eight, the top four leaders in Congress and the chairmen and vice chairmen of the Senate []. 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He said he was using his official vehicle at the mobile command post. IE 11 is not supported. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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, was grilled last week by members of the House Committee on Administration during a hearing to review a federal watchdog report. I am outraged to hear that you were be in a comfortable place, sir, while the rest of us were thinking about dying that day and how we were going to come out alive that day, Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) said during the hearing, saying that a police officer could not close or lock a door because he did not have the keys. President Biden on Monday fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton following allegations that he misrepresented himself as a law enforcement Blanton did himself few favors with his testimony to the House Administration Committee last week in which he admitted to being absent from the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack. Blanton also stated that on January 6 he was using his official vehicle as the Architect of the Capitol's mobile command post. Meanwhile, the inspector general's report said Blanton's adult child called it "free gas" for her. 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. 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. Morelle also pressed him about why he didn't use the car to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, the "greatest emergency the Capitol has faced in the last two centuries.". "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. Driving the news: Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) praised the Biden administration for terminating Blanton. "If I'm at Home Depot and something happens, there would be a delayed response getting to the Capitol," Blanton told lawmakers. The report noted that there was no official violation, but that these tours were not a good look. Outrageous that you were not here.. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), the ranking member on the House Administration Committee, welcomed Blanton's ouster. Shortly after McCarthys tweet, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), the chairman of the House Administration Committee, joined calls for Blanton's resignation. U.S. Capitol Architect, Brett Blanton, remains under scrutiny after an intense House of Administration hearing, last Thursday. NPR's Scott Detrow contributed to this report. 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. Blanton maintained at last weeks hearing that he needed to take the car with him on personal errands and vacations in case he needed to return to the Capitol or respond to an emergency, because it was equipped with certain communications devices. Blanton reportedly allowed the vehicle to be operated by his adult daughter and his wife against regulations while the American taxpayers footed the bill. The abuse of government property charge includes allowing special treatment for his family. Steil suggested that Congress could reorganize the Capitol Police board in light of Blantons failure to be on Capitol grounds. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - Architect of the Capitol, Office of the Inspector General. McCarthy joins House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) and ranking member Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.) in calling for the resignation of the Architect of the Capitol, who oversees the Capitol complexs building maintenance, preservation and development. "Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.". 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. You have permission to edit this article. The architect of the Capitol is tasked with maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, according to AOC.gov. A number of Democrats, including Torres, also called for Blanton's ouster. Rep. Bryan Steil, Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House Administration Committee, called for Mr. Blantons immediate resignation on Monday. On December 16, 2019, the Committee reported his nomination favorably to the Senate floor. The inspector general found that Blanton's wife made "multiple social media posts" about the tours. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion I have engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he said. 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. Committee Chair Bryan Steil, R-Wis., called on Blanton to resign Monday, saying in a statement that his "refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clearthat he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately," McCarthy wrote. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told NBC News, I agree with the presidents decision to fire the architect.". The Capitols architect oversees the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the U.S. Capitol complex. By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: American Digest, 3000 S. Hulen Street, Ste 124 #1064, Fort Worth, TX, 76109, US, https://americandigest.com. All of those elements played into the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. Is this the first termination that Biden has carried out? Even House Democrats think its time for Blanton to go, the tweet read. [1] He was sworn in on January 16, 2020.[7]. Mr. Blanton's incompetency is a danger to his office, and I join @RepJoeMorelle to call for his immediate resignation," Torres tweeted. Blanton was responsible for the upkeep and operation of over 18 million square feet of buildings and 570 acres of land throughout the U.S. Capitol complex. One big strike against Blanton was the fact that he was not physically present on the Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. 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. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds and wasting taxpayer money. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. ", "I wholeheartedly reject any assertation that I've engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country," Blanton said. 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