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. His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately," said Steil. President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. Copyright 2023 HotAir.com/Salem Media. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. He said he was using his official vehicle at the mobile command post. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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. Blanton is one of three voting members of the United States Capitol Police Board, which oversees the USCP. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. He was sworn in on Jan. 16, 2020. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. 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.". He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, the speaker tweeted Monday. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately. After all this, House Administration Committee Chairman Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) called for Blanton's resignation. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately," McCarthy tweeted. Blanton responded that he did not have police radios and sufficient equipment in his house. here for reprint permission. President Joe Biden fired the Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton on Monday following allegations that he misused government resources and was not White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre previously told reporters Monday that the administration was weighing its options. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R The White House terminated Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton's appointment on Monday. [8] Multiple instances of the Blanton family misusing government cars for personal use were documented in the report, which also documented how Blanton's wife gave unauthorized tours of the U.S. Capitol and that Blanton misrepresented himself as a police officer. However, there surely are many more in the D.C. swamp doing what Blanton did without facing consequences. He noted that the vehicle has a Capitol Police Department radio that he used to get real-time information to make leadership decisions during the riot. Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. 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. He was confirmed by a voice vote in the Republican-led Senate 10 days later. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. Is this the first termination that Biden has carried out? 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 inspector general's report was released last fall, but Blanton found himself in the hot seat again last week during a House Administration Committee hearing, where he told lawmakers that he wasn't on the grounds during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. "President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told NBC News, I agree with the presidents decision to fire the architect.". The responsibilities of his job include overseeing the Capitols property management and operations, and as one of three board members, he oversees the U.S. Capitol Police. "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted 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. ), the chair of the panel, and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) joined Morelle in demanding Blantons ouster on Monday, making the calls bipartisan. After doing our due diligence, the Architect of [the] Capitol was terminated at the Presidents direction, the official said in a statement. We publish the objective news, period. Blanton was three years into a 10-year-long term. The report noted that there was no official violation, but that these tours were not a good look. Action-backed rhetoric fuels uncandidate DeSantis' launch strategy, I asked ChatGPT to invent a new cocktail. Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. Flip. This was all while the government was footing the bill for her travels. 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. 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 Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, the Republican heading the committee, asked if Blanton had impersonated a law enforcement officer, as alleged in the report. Outrageous that you were not here.. [5], President Donald Trump nominated Blanton on December 9, 2019, for a ten-year term as Architect of the Capitol. He came under fire after an inspector general report found 'administrative, ethical, and policy violations'. Blanton defended his absence on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, because, he said, there were too many people on the grounds. President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion I have engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he said. The backdrop: The report found that Blanton serially misused government-issued vehicles for personal trips, and falsely identified himself as a law enforcement officer. Blanton also stated that on January 6 he was using his official vehicle as the Architect of the Capitol's mobile command post. 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. WebPresident Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. Shortly after McCarthys tweet, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), the chairman of the House Administration Committee, joined calls for Blanton's 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. Following the reports release, six Democrats who chair committees that oversee the AOC called for Blantons removal, explaining that, Based on the $12,434 in unreported, taxable noncash fringe benefits. Blanton also allegedly misrepresented himself as a law enforcement official. The investigation was prompted by a tip about Blanton's daughter recklessly driving an AOC Ford Explorer at a Walmart in Tyson's Corner. A number of Democrats, including Torres, also called for Blanton's ouster. An Inspector General report released in October 2022 found that Blanton and his family improperly used agency vehicles, taking them to West Virginia, Florida, and South Carolina. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called for the Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton to step down or be removed by President Biden, adding to bipartisan outrage over an inspector general report that found he misused a government vehicle and allegedly impersonated a law enforcement officer, among other ethics issues. If you want the facts, then sign up below and join our movement for objective news: Get news from American Digest in your inbox. All Rights Reserved. CNN has reached out to the office of the Architect of the Capitol for response to McCarthy's call for Blanton's resignation. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. During the pandemic, Blanton reportedly gave tours of the U.S. Capitol despite the official closure of the building to the public. "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 told committee members at last Thursday's hearing that he was "directing AOC personnel" from his government vehicle, which he said served as "AOC's mobile command post," during the riot but not on the Capitol grounds. The office of the architect did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Blanton was Greg Nash/AP The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also called for Blanton's dismissal Monday. NBC News has asked Blanton's office for comment. In an exchange with the committee chairman, Republican Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, Blanton defended not being at the Capitol during the insurrection because he claimed he was unable to drive there since there were so many people on the grounds. The architect of the Capitol is tasked with maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, according to AOC.gov. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Monday, February 13, 2023, The Front Page Podcast: Pumping the Brakes, NEW: Its not polite to pretend boys can be girls, SCOTUS takes on Bidens student debt agenda, Click Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately," he said in a statement. 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 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.". Blanton was dismissed months after an inspector generals report substantiated claims that he had abused his authority. President Biden on Monday fired the Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton after a report alleged he abused his office. 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.". 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 misuse of the government vehicle resulted in "no less than $13,926.56 as net questioned costs," the report found. "You would have to address that with members of my family," Blanton responded. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy. Biden ousted Brett Blanton, the previous capitol architect, earlier this month after an inspector generals report found that he misused his authority. 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. 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. You can see things didnt go well for Blanton. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds, and wasting taxpayer money. 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. Blanton oversees a workforce of nearly 2,000 and is also part of the US Capitol Police Board. Ranking Democrat Rep. Joe Morelle of New York questioned why he remained in the mobile command center. "All PATRIOTS welcome," one of her posts proclaimed. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. "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. Steil also called for Blanton to resign Monday. All of those elements played into the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. 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One big strike against Blanton was the fact that he was not physically present on the Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021. The committees top Democrat, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle of New York, also called for Mr. Blanton to step down. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump and remained in the job when Biden came into office. R-Wisconsin, also called on Blanton to immediately resign. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. The president fired Blanton after the White House did "due diligence," a White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues. Blanton denied wrongdoing in a Feb. 9 hearing. hide caption. Blanton, was grilled last week by members of the House Committee on Administration during a hearing to review a federal watchdog report. Rep. Bryan Steil, Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House Administration Committee, called for Mr. Blantons immediate resignation on Monday. Blanton served in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps for 22 years. 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. Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he testified. You have permission to edit this article. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Blanton responded that he did not have police radios and sufficient equipment in his house. Why? 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. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact. He was nominated by Trump on Dec. 9, 2019. WASHINGTON - Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) today issued the following statement calling on Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton to immediately resign: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) plays a key role in preserving He then served as Deputy Vice President for Engineering at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority which operates the Reagan National and Dulles International Airports. 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. 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. His explanation of being off campus during the day of Jan. 6 enraged some lawmakers. Calls for Mr. Blantons resignation grew since a contentious House hearing last week on the allegations of mismanagement highlighted in an October inspector generals report. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. The report, released on October 2022, found that Blanton "abused his authority, misused government property, and wasted taxpayer money, among other substantiated violations." IE 11 is not supported. 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. 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