There were aggressive calls for Blantons resignation immediately following the shocking violence that unfolded during the January 6, 2021 insurrection. President Joe Biden fired the Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton on Monday following allegations that he misused government resources and was not He obviously Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, the Republican heading the committee, asked if Blanton had impersonated a law enforcement officer, as alleged in the report. He came under fire after an inspector general report found 'administrative, ethical, and policy violations'. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds and wasting taxpayer money. Mr. Blanton faced growing calls to step down from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who urged his resignation on Monday. The result was mixed, Majority of voters, plurality of Democrats say Biden is too old to run again, *Gulp* Finland is building a wall on Russia's border, Maher on CNN: If its Biden against Trump, Biden will win thats a good bet", George Santos' CNN Response Is a Master Troll Move, Biden owns border critics with chuckling reminder this mom's sons died of fentanyl overdoses in 2020, Shock Report: FBI Agents Did Not Want to Raid Mar-a-Lago. 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. Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. Haley Talbot is an associate producer in the NBC News Washington bureau. 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. Regardless of who has appointed them, government officials who misuse their privileges must be removed from their positions. Democratic New York Rep. Joe Morelle, ranking member of the House Administration Committee, confirmed the firing in a statement. He was confirmed by a voice vote in the Republican-led Senate 10 days later. 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. The Republican chairman of the committee, Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, called for Blantons resignation after he engaged in an exchange with him. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. Committee GOP (@HouseAdmin) February 13, 2023, Democrats expressed anger with Blantons handling of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The House Republicans' Twitter account on Friday requested Biden to remove Blanton immediately. I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately.. The Capitols architect oversees the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the U.S. Capitol complex. His responsibilities include overseeing the Capitol's property management and operations. CAPITOL HILL'S TOP MANAGER FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING FOR ALLEGED MISUSE OF POSITION. Maybe Morelle forgot that Democrats lost control of the House. 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. IE 11 is not supported. U.S. Capitol Architect, Brett Blanton, remains under scrutiny after an intense House of Administration hearing, last Thursday. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. WebPresident Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. 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.". "We take the IG report seriously and the request from members of Congress seriously as well and are evaluating next steps," she said. Blanton was nominated by former President Trump to a 10-year term as Architect of the Capitol and was confirmed by the Senate in December 2019. here for reprint permission. The White House terminated Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton's appointment on Monday. Biden fires Architect of the Capitol after calls for his resignation, Your photos of ice and snow, Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 18-year-old driver hospitalized after rollover wreck in Graves County, Man accused of killing KY officers dies by suicide in jail, WKYT reports, Speaking at Paducah City Commission meeting, former commission candidate Thomas says Commissioner David Guess should resign, Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes, Kentucky State Police Posts 1, 2 holding numerous traffic safety checkpoints, Putin ally Lukashenko meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, Greek transport minister resigns over train crash; 36 dead, 2/28 Prep basketball highlights and scores, Community shares thoughts on roundabout proposal for Marshall County during public meeting, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff. hide caption. You can see things didnt go well for Blanton. 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. In Thursday's hearing, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle jumped on learning that Blanton was not physically present on Capitol grounds on the day of the insurrection, January 6, 2021. When asked if he had used a government vehicle for personal use, Blanton said that he wouldn't characterize his use of the vehicle as personal. "Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.". An inspector general's report said Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton "abused his authority," "misused government property" and "wasted taxpayer money.". "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted Monday. "Offering private tours of the U.S. Capitol creates the appearance of impropriety and using a public position for private gain, which is a violation of AOC policy," the report said. 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. WebPresident Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. 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. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told NBC News, I agree with the presidents decision to fire the architect.". 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. The Biden administration on Monday "terminated" the Architect of the Capitol, the White House confirmed. [4] He retired from the Navy in 2015. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy tweeted Monday. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, Mr. McCarthy tweeted Monday. 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 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. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also called for Blanton's dismissal Monday. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - 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. A White House official said, After doing our due diligence, the Architect of the Capitol was terminated at the Presidents direction. Sleepy Joe has been busy lately giving orders shooting down balloons or objects out of the sky, and now ordering the termination of an employee. After doing our due diligence, the Architect of [the] Capitol was terminated at the Presidents direction, the official said in a statement. 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.". (CNN) President Joe Biden fired the Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton on Monday following allegations that he misused government resources and was not physically present on the Capitol grounds during the January 6, 2021, insurrection, a White House official said. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. On December 16, 2019, the Committee reported his nomination favorably to the Senate floor. 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. Joe Biden should immediately FIRE AOC Blanton. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. A number of Democrats, including Torres, also called for Blanton's ouster. Mr. Morelle praised the White Houses decision to remove Mr. Blanton, calling it the right thing.. 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. 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. 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 have permission to edit this article. Blanton, was grilled last week by members of the House Committee on Administration during a hearing to review a federal watchdog report. [10] Congressional representatives called for Blanton to resign. Blanton did himself few favors with his testimony to the House Administration Committee last week in which he admitted to being absent from the [5], President Donald Trump nominated Blanton on December 9, 2019, for a ten-year term as Architect of the Capitol. Blanton was appointed in 2019 by President Donald Trump to a ten-year term. Even House Democrats think its time for Blanton to go, the tweet read. 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. Some experts believe Congress has the authority to impeach Blanton, but others, including Steil, believe his ouster would require executive action since the Capitol architect is a position appointed by the president. President Biden on Monday fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton following allegations that he misrepresented himself as a law enforcement 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. An inspector generalreportreleased in October found that Blanton and his family had misused Architect of the Capitol vehicles intended for home-to-work use as personal vehicles, resulting in nearly $14,000 worth of inappropriate costs. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy said in a tweet on Monday. President Biden on Monday fired the Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton after a report alleged he abused his office. NBC News has asked Blanton's office for comment. Blanton is one of three voting members of the United States Capitol Police Board, which oversees the USCP. The architect of the Capitol is tasked with maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, according to AOC.gov. Blanton reportedly allowed the vehicle to be operated by his adult daughter and his wife against regulations while the American taxpayers footed the bill. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he testified. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), the ranking member on the House Administration Committee, welcomed Blanton's ouster. Blanton was nominated to a 10-year term by former President Donald Trump; he started the job in January 2020. 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