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. Rep. Bryan Steil, Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House Administration Committee, called for Mr. Blantons immediate resignation on Monday. 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. Biden "terminated" Blanton amid bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation, including from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy earlier on Monday, the official said. 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 Thursday's hearing, Blanton unequivocally denied that he did anything unethical. 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 inspector general was first alerted to these problems through a complaint on a hotline on March 7, 2021. On December 16, 2019, the Committee reported his nomination favorably to the Senate floor. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy. J. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, was grilled by House Committee on Administration members last week. 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. Members of Congress rejected his testimony, with several calling for him to resign. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, Blanton said in the hearing. Whats Biden waiting for when it comes to 2024? 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. 2023 - The American Digest - All Rights Reserved, Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton fired by Joe Biden after Kevin McCarthy demanded resignation, Watchdog group finds Capitol Police and FBI ignored "credible threats" prior to Jan. 6th riot at the Capitol, Elizabeth Warren's CFPB to have fate determined by Supreme Court, Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announces resignation from the Biden administration, Up to 14 million will lose Medicaid coverage over next 12 months, After leaving the GOP,87-year-old New Jersey state senator abandons his reelection bid, Ted Cruz says Dr. Fauci will be responsible for future pandemic deaths, Don Lemon removed from key hosting role by CNN after Haley remarks. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - The board and its structure, as well as its ability to quickly authorize outside assistance during emergencies, came under scrutiny after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. 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. 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. He obviously White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre previously told reporters Monday that the administration was weighing its options. 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. Blanton denied wrongdoing in a Feb. 9 hearing. 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An inspector general report released in October found that Blanton and his family had misused Architect of the [10] Congressional representatives called for Blanton to resign. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. 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 You have permission to edit this article. After recounting her experience of being stranded on a balcony during the insurrection, Democratic Rep. Norma Torres of California grew visibly frustrated. 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]. Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately, he said. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle jumped on that. There were aggressive calls for Blantons resignation immediately following the shocking violence that unfolded during the January 6, 2021 insurrection. 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. "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. (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. He has repeatedly abused taxpayer dollars.Even House Democrats think its time for Blanton to go. 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. Is this the first termination that Biden has carried out? [6] On December 12, 2019, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration held a hearing on his nomination. Mr. Morelle praised the White Houses decision to remove Mr. Blanton, calling it the right thing.. U.S. Capitol Architect, Brett Blanton, remains under scrutiny after an intense House of Administration hearing, last Thursday. WebPresident Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. "He should resign, or President Biden should remove him immediately," the California Republican added. Haley Talbot is an associate producer in the NBC News Washington bureau. Committee GOP (@HouseAdmin) February 13, 2023, Democrats expressed anger with Blantons handling of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. "After doing our due diligence, the Architect of Capitol was terminated at the President's direction," the White House official said. The committees top Democrat, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle of New York, also called for Mr. Blanton to step down. "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted Monday. [1], Blanton was terminated from his position after an inspector general's report found "administrative, ethical and policy violations" by Blanton, including allegations that he misused his government vehicle and misrepresented himself as a law enforcement official.[2]. 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Marjorie Taylor Greene: Isnt she, Fight in high school classroom leaves one dead, one, School culture wars fuel top House GOP bill, Product safety commission requests information on, House Democrats gather to chart path toward 2024. Shortly after McCarthys tweet, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), the chairman of the House Administration Committee, joined calls for Blanton's resignation. 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 I think it may be, certainly of anyone with a position of power and a title. 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. 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. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, Mr. McCarthy tweeted Monday. [4] He retired from the Navy in 2015. [3] Blanton is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering and a Certified Energy Manager. $12,434 in unreported, taxable noncash fringe benefits. Blanton also allegedly misrepresented himself as a law enforcement official. The office of the architect did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 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. Rep. Gregory Murphy (R-N.C.) took issue with the Architect of the Capitols office having a telework policy, though Blanton said he is now going to the Capitol effectively every day of the week., It absolutely blows me away, Murphy said, why Blanton as Architect of the Capitol Architect of the Capitol why you are not here physically every day, all day.. CAPITOL HILL'S TOP MANAGER FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING FOR ALLEGED MISUSE OF POSITION. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, the speaker tweeted Monday. 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 []. [1] He was sworn in on January 16, 2020.[7]. No Architect has ever been removed by Congress, but the Senate is considering legislation that would clarify that the position is subject to impeachment. [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. 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President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. Blanton was nominated to a 10-year term by former President Donald Trump; he started the job in January 2020. On December 19, 2019, the full Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote. If you want the facts, then sign up below and join our movement for objective news: Get news from American Digest in your inbox. The inspector general found that Blanton's wife made "multiple social media posts" about the tours. The backdrop: The report found that Blanton serially misused government-issued vehicles for personal trips, and falsely identified himself as a law enforcement officer. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Why? President Joe Biden fired the Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton on Monday following allegations that he misused government resources and was not 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.. 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. This was all while the government was footing the bill for her travels. 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. The report is filled with errors, omissions, mischaracterizations, misstatements and conclusory statements lacking evidence.. - All of those elements played into the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. 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. "Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.". For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. He was sworn in on Jan. 16, 2020. We publish the objective news, period. The big picture: An inspector general report last year accused Brett Blanton, who was appointed by former President Trump, of abusing his authority. 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