The report also said Blanton mischaracterized his government position, at one point chasing down a vehicle that was described as having been involved in a hit-and-run and misrepresenting himself as a law enforcement official. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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 chair of the panel, and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) joined Morelle in demanding Blantons ouster on Monday, making the calls bipartisan. Following the reports release, six Democrats who chair committees that oversee the AOC called for Blantons removal, explaining that, Based on the 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. The abuse of government property charge includes allowing special treatment for his family. On December 16, 2019, the Committee reported his nomination favorably to the Senate floor. The big picture: An inspector general report last year accused Brett Blanton, who was appointed by former President Trump, of abusing his authority. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy said in a tweet 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. 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. Joe Biden should immediately FIRE AOC Blanton. On February 13, 2023, President Joe Biden terminated Blanton's appointment as Architect of the Capitol.[2]. 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]. No Architect has ever been removed by Congress, but the Senate is considering legislation that would clarify that the position is subject to impeachment. Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com. It sure looks like he was derelict in his duties. 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 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.. 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. 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. [4] He retired from the Navy in 2015. Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. Blanton rebutted that he had identified himself as a member of the Capitol Police Board, which he is, and not an officer. The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. CNN has reached out to the office of the Architect of the Capitol for response to McCarthy's call for Blanton's resignation. "The Inspector General's report was highly concerning, which is, in part, why our first hearing was dedicated to providing oversight over the AOC. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, the speaker tweeted Monday. Blanton denied any ethical violations during the hearing on Thursday. 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. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R Ranking Democrat Rep. Joe Morelle of New York questioned why he remained in the mobile command center. He previously called for Blanton to be terminated. The vehicle was driven for some 30,000 miles despite limitations to use for official work only. His responsibilities include overseeing the Capitol's property management and operations. An inspector general report released in October found that Blanton and his family had misused Architect of the ", "I wholeheartedly reject any assertation that I've engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country," Blanton said. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. [5], President Donald Trump nominated Blanton on December 9, 2019, for a ten-year term as Architect of the Capitol. Blanton defended his absence on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, because, he said, there were too many people on the grounds. I think it may be, certainly of anyone with a position of power and a title. [1] He was sworn in on January 16, 2020.[7]. Updated February 13, 2023 at 7:24 PM ET. Architect of the Capitol, Office of the Inspector General. 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. "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. 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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. Mr. Blanton's incompetency is a danger to his office, and I join @RepJoeMorelle to call for his immediate resignation," Torres tweeted. Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. J. Brett Blanton, the architect of the Capitol, speaks at the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov. 29. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, "PN1324 - Nomination of J. Brett Blanton for Congress of the United States, 116th Congress (2019-2020)", "Biden Fires Architect Of The Capitol Over Alleged Abuse Of Power", "Airport engineer nominated to be next Architect of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.", "J. Brett Blanton Nominated as Architect of the Capitol", "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts", 2021-0011-INVI-P J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol, Abused His Authority, Misused Government Property and Wasted Taxpayer Money, Among Other Substantiated Violations, Federal watchdog accuses Architect of the Capitol of ethics violations over offer to give patriots tours, "J. Brett Blanton on track to become next architect of the Capitol", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brett_Blanton&oldid=1139250130, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 04:19. 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 Democratic New York Rep. Joe Morelle, ranking member of the House Administration Committee, confirmed the firing in a statement. Blanton was nominated to a 10-year term by former President Donald Trump; he started the job in January 2020. "We take the IG report seriously and the request from members of Congress seriously as well and are evaluating next steps," she said. 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. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds and wasting taxpayer money. The Inspector General report accused Blanton of using his government-owned vehicle as his and his family's personal car and offering private tours of the Capitol in September 2020, when the building was closed due to COVID, among other abuses. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - 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. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. The Washington Times House lawmakers grilled Blanton over the report in a House Administrationhearinglast week, where Blanton pushed back on the report. The board consists of the House sergeant at arms, the Senate sergeant at arms and doorkeeper and the architect of the Capitol. Why? 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 White House said Monday that Blantons A number of Democrats, including Torres, also called for Blanton's ouster. 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. The Capitols architect oversees the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the U.S. Capitol complex. 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. He wasnt able to drive there. 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. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. 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. Other members, including the ranking Democrat, Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, jumped on the admission by Blanton to question why he remained in the "mobile command center.". "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. Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy. Never use the company vehicle for personal business. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle jumped on that. Greg Nash/AP 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. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Blanton was the only member of the Capitol Police Board who still had a job after the Jan. 6 riot. 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 At the hearing, Blanton said he was frustrated by the current distraction created by the inspector generals report.. 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. "All PATRIOTS welcome," one of her posts proclaimed. U.S. Capitol Architect, Brett Blanton, remains under scrutiny after an intense House of Administration hearing, last Thursday. The committees top Democrat, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle of New York, also called for Mr. Blanton to step down. [10] Congressional representatives called for Blanton to resign. 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 []. [9], As a result, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, an omnibus spending bill, included a clause in the AOC budget "That none of the funds appropriated or made available under this heading in this Act or any other Act, including previous Acts, may be used for a home-to-work vehicle for the Architect or a duly authorized designee". Ranking member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) was so unsatisfied by Blantons performance, he called for his resignation #FireBlanton https://t.co/Ijf1xNCsxY. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. "President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. During the pandemic, Blanton reportedly gave tours of the U.S. Capitol despite the official closure of the building to the public. NPR's Scott Detrow contributed to this report. Another incident involving the official vehicle occurred in 2020 when Blanton allegedly chased down a vehicle "involved in a hit-and-run incident that took place in front of his residence" using the SUV. He came under fire after an inspector general report found 'administrative, ethical, and policy violations'. Blanton could be removed only by the president because the architect of the Capitol is a presidential appointee confirmed by the Senate. hide caption. Blanton reportedly allowed the vehicle to be operated by his adult daughter and his wife against regulations while the American taxpayers footed the bill. Copyright 2023 HotAir.com/Salem Media. I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately.. 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. The Biden administration on Monday "terminated" the Architect of the Capitol, the White House confirmed. 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 was appointed in 2019 by President Donald Trump to a ten-year term. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisc. "Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.". 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. Action-backed rhetoric fuels uncandidate DeSantis' launch strategy, I asked ChatGPT to invent a new cocktail. President Joe Biden removed Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton from his post days after House lawmakers grilled him about his reported misuse of government resources. The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, and sits on the Capitol Police Board. "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted Monday. - The White House fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton on Monday following complaints from a bipartisan group of Congress-members and the threat of impeachment. 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. Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, the Republican heading the committee, asked if Blanton had impersonated a law enforcement officer, as alleged in the report. Could you not have fulfilled the same function at home using a cell phone? Morelle asked Blanton. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, he testified. 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. A White House official told CNN that Biden terminated Blanton on Monday following bipartisan calls for his resignation, echoed that day by House Speaker Kevin Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. There were some $13,926.56 in costs attributed to the Ford Explorer. 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. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Blanton responded that he did not have police radios and sufficient equipment in his house. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The job of the Capitol architect is to manage the massive landmark and its surrounding grounds. [6] On December 12, 2019, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration held a hearing on his nomination. 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. Flip. The inspector general was first alerted to these problems through a complaint on a hotline on March 7, 2021. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. "His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately.". He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately," McCarthy tweeted. Biden ousted Brett Blanton, the previous capitol architect, earlier this month after an inspector generals report found that he misused his authority. Blantons dismissal came just hours after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said he had lost confidence in Blanton and This was all while the government was footing the bill for her travels. The report, released on October 2022, found that Blanton "abused his authority, misused government property, and wasted taxpayer money, among other substantiated violations." House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday called on Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton to resign after damaging inspector general report last fall. Blanton responded that he did not have police radios and sufficient equipment in his house. Outrageous that you were not here.. President Biden on Monday fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton following allegations that he misrepresented himself as a law enforcement The architect of the Capitol is tasked with maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, according to AOC.gov. He referred to it as "an alternate work site" and said having to switch vehicles would slow him down. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Rep. Bryan Steil, Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House Administration Committee, called for Mr. Blantons immediate resignation on Monday. 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. 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. His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately," said Steil. 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.". Asked about the report earlier this month, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the White House is taking this very seriously and will take any advice that the members of Congress or any action that they want to take very seriously.. The inspector general found that Blanton's wife made "multiple social media posts" about the tours. Blanton, was grilled last week by members of the House Committee on Administration during a hearing to review a federal watchdog report. Did You Ever Wonder How and Why the Left Is Able to Push Their Narratives Almost Unhindered? 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