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, said Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.) the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee. The pandemic popped San Francisco's progressive bubble, The cost of the Federal Reserve's 'full employment': Migrant child labor, Lori Lightfoot's next dancing TikTok video should be to "Bye Bye Bye", TikTok restricts teenager screen time as it faces threat of national ban, Lightfoot is out: Chicago mayor out four years after breaking onto scene as rising star, Republicans could force Bidens first veto with fights over ESG and DC crime law, Protesters thrown out of House China committee's first prime-time hearing. You have permission to edit this article. $12,434 in unreported, taxable noncash fringe benefits. Blanton also allegedly misrepresented himself as a law enforcement official. He wasnt able to drive there. Committee GOP (@HouseAdmin) February 13, 2023, Democrats expressed anger with Blantons handling of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately. This was all while the government was footing the bill for her travels. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. IE 11 is not supported. [6] On December 12, 2019, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration held a hearing on his nomination. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been accused of several infractions by both parties after a recent report. 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. The abuse of government property charge includes allowing special treatment for his family. Blanton was dismissed months after an inspector generals report substantiated claims that he had abused his authority. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately," McCarthy tweeted. Blanton was three years into a 10-year-long term. I think it may be, certainly of anyone with a position of power and a title. 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. Lawmakers are sounding the alarm after the CIA confirmed that China may be considering sending lethal arms to Russia. The architect of the Capitol is tasked with maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, according to AOC.gov. Never use the company vehicle for personal business. "We took a look at the whole situation, having dealt with this guy for a while, and I think the president made the right decision, he said. 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. Based on that behavior, Blanton has also been accused of giving the impression that he was in law enforcement. 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. ", "I wholeheartedly reject any assertation that I've engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country," Blanton said. [5], President Donald Trump nominated Blanton on December 9, 2019, for a ten-year term as Architect of the Capitol. It said he committed "administrative, ethical and policy violations," including misuse of a government-issued vehicle and falsely giving the impression that he was a member of law enforcement. Blanton appeared before the House Administration Committee last Thursday after he was the subject of an explosive inspector general report in October that highlighted a series of alleged abuses of the office. Blanton denied any ethical violations during the hearing on Thursday. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy. His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately," said Steil. The Republican chairman of the committee, Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, called for Blantons resignation after he engaged in an exchange with him. The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning, which is, in part, why our first hearing was dedicated to providing oversight over the [Architect of the Capitol]. Blanton said in last weeks hearing that his vehicle served as the Architect of the Capitols mobile command post during Jan. 6, 2021, during the Capitol attack, and did not go to the Capitol during the attack because there would have been next to no way to get onto this campus.. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R 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. On December 19, 2019, the full Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote. Im outraged that you would 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, Democratic California Rep. Norma Torres said at the hearing. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. Dear President Biden: War in Ukraine isnt just about Ukraine, There can be no genuine budget discipline without entitlement reform, Two birds, one stone: 1619 Project vindicates capitalism. The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning, Steil said. Steil also called for Blanton to resign Monday. I will say that the report is filled with errors, omissions, mischaracterizations, misstatements and conclusionary statements lacking evidence.". He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately. Morelle and ranking member Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) on the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight each called on Blanton to step down Thursday after the hearing. "The Inspector General's report was highly concerning, which is, in part, why our first hearing was dedicated to providing oversight over the AOC. The backdrop: The report found that Blanton serially misused government-issued vehicles for personal trips, and falsely identified himself as a law enforcement officer. You can see things didnt go well for Blanton. "He should resign, or President Biden should remove him immediately," the California Republican added. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds, and wasting taxpayer money. Regardless of who has appointed them, government officials who misuse their privileges must be removed from their positions. Steil suggested that Congress could reorganize the Capitol Police board in light of Blantons failure to be on Capitol grounds. "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Whats Biden waiting for when it comes to 2024? In a statement Monday, Morelle praised Biden for doing "the right thing" by dismissing Blanton. Spokane, Washington Est. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. Blanton denied wrongdoing in a Feb. 9 hearing. 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. Last week, he was pressed about those findings and other issues, such as his absence from the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, as he was testifying before the House Administration Committee. Click I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he testified. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. The committee hearing was to review an inspector general report. 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. "He should resign, or President Biden should remove him immediately," the California Republican added. 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. Democratic lawmakers are calling for the resignation of J. Brett Blanton, the architect of the Capitol, over a scathing federal watchdog report that found he abused his Could you not have fulfilled the same function at home using a cell phone? Morelle asked Blanton. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump and remained in the job when Biden came into office. His explanation of being off campus during the day of Jan. 6 enraged some lawmakers. 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. Blanton oversees a workforce of nearly 2,000 and is also part of the US Capitol Police Board. 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 We publish the objective news, period. 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. CNN has reached out to the office of the Architect of the Capitol for response to McCarthy's call for Blanton's resignation. 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. President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.. Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., asked how that squared with the inspector general report's finding that Blanton's wife and daughter would sometimes take the car without him. Blanton was appointed to the role by former President Donald Trump in 2019. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately. 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.. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. "The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning," Steil said. 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. Ranking member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) was so unsatisfied by Blantons performance, he called for his resignation #FireBlanton https://t.co/Ijf1xNCsxY. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle jumped on that. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy said in a tweet on Monday. Blanton responded that he did not have police radios and sufficient equipment in his house. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, Blanton said in the hearing. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - Committee members characterized his performance as evasive, and Morelle responded by calling for his resignation. 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. 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. [10] Congressional representatives called for Blanton to resign. His responsibilities include overseeing the Capitol's property management and operations. 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