Blanton defended his absence on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, because, he said, there were too many people on the grounds. Action-backed rhetoric fuels uncandidate DeSantis' launch strategy, I asked ChatGPT to invent a new cocktail. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. 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. Even House Democrats think its time for Blanton to go, the tweet read. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Shortly after McCarthys tweet, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), the chairman of the House Administration Committee, joined calls for Blanton's resignation. Blanton was three years into a 10-year-long term. Blanton said he was monitoring developments remotely during the Jan. 6 riot. Ranking Democrat Rep. Joe Morelle of New York questioned why he remained in the mobile command center. All of those elements played into the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. 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. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R "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 vehicle was driven for some 30,000 miles despite limitations to use for official work only. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. The committee hearing was to review an inspector general report. 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. The committees top Democrat, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle of New York, also called for Mr. Blanton to step down. We publish the objective news, period. Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.. "As Ranking Member of the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, I found Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton's answers at today's hearing appalling. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately, he said. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, Blanton said in the hearing. Democratic New York Rep. Joe Morelle, ranking member of the House Administration Committee, confirmed the firing in a statement. 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 []. "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. 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. CAPITOL HILL'S TOP MANAGER FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING FOR ALLEGED MISUSE OF POSITION The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no Blanton is one of three voting members of the United States Capitol Police Board, which oversees the USCP. "If I'm at Home Depot and something happens, there would be a delayed response getting to the Capitol," Blanton told lawmakers. IE 11 is not supported. Architect of the U.S. Capitol Brett Blanton testifies before the House Administration Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on February 9. There were some $13,926.56 in costs attributed to the Ford Explorer. The Architect was not on-site during the riot, but worked out of his government car. 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 Joe Biden should immediately FIRE AOC Blanton. "The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning," Steil said. J. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, was grilled by House Committee on Administration members last week. 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. If you need to be tethered, and if you needed a vehicle to be here, why did you make the decision not to come here and could you not have without the vehicle and all the emergency equipment thats attached to it? His responsibilities include overseeing the Capitol's property management and operations. [1] He was sworn in on January 16, 2020.[7]. Updated February 13, 2023 at 7:24 PM ET. WebPresident Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News. 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.. - [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". Blanton was The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, and sits on the Capitol Police Board. The White House said Monday that Blantons "If you need to be tethered, and if you needed a vehicle to be here, why did you make the decision not to come here and could you not have without the vehicle and all the emergency equipment that's attached to it? Republican members on the panel were infuriated when Blanton, who was appointed in 2019 and was in charge of the Capitol's security, cited pandemic work-from-home policies when asked why he was not on site the morning of Jan. 6. 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.. Could you not have fulfilled the same function at home using a cell phone? Morelle asked Blanton. Committee members characterized his performance as evasive, and Morelle responded by calling for his resignation. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also called for Blanton's dismissal Monday. 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. After recounting her experience of being stranded on a balcony during the insurrection, Democratic Rep. Norma Torres of California grew visibly frustrated. Is this the first termination that Biden has carried out? "The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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. 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. Blanton denied any ethical violations during the hearing on Thursday. The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning, Steil said. 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 The House Republicans' Twitter account on Friday requested Biden to remove Blanton immediately. 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. 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. [6] On December 12, 2019, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration held a hearing on his nomination. "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. The big picture: An inspector general report last year accused Brett Blanton, who was appointed by former President Trump, Committee members characterized his performance as evasive, and Morelle responded by calling for his resignation. 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. One big strike against Blanton was the fact that he was not physically present on the Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021. The report, released on October 2022, found that Blanton "abused his authority, misused government property, and wasted taxpayer money, among other substantiated violations." 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]. Last year, a handful of lawmakers called for Blantons resignation, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the head of the Rules Committee, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), who led the Administration Committee at the time. 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. "The Inspector General's report was highly concerning, which is, in part, why our first hearing was dedicated to providing oversight over the AOC," Steil said. Outrageous that you were not here.. The architect of the Capitol is tasked with maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, according to AOC.gov. 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.". His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately," said Steil. 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 Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. The Washington Times Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been accused of several infractions by both parties after a recent report. Blanton also stated that on January 6 he was using his official vehicle as the Architect of the Capitol's mobile command post. 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. Mr. Morelle praised the White Houses decision to remove Mr. Blanton, calling it the right thing.. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisc. In his opening statement he had noted that the AOC vehicle is to allow the architect to support the Capitol in a remote capacity, and that "it is inaccurate to characterize the state of the vehicle is only for home to work purposes.". President Joe Biden fired the Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton on Monday following allegations that he misused government resources and was not Biden ousted Brett Blanton, the previous capitol architect, earlier this month after an inspector generals report found that he misused his authority. This was all while the government was footing the bill for her travels. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. The White House terminated Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton's appointment on Monday. 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. Previous:McCarthy calls on the Architect of the Capitol to resign after damaging IG report. "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. "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. 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. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately," McCarthy wrote. Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. 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.". 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. NBC News has asked Blanton's office for comment. 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 National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump and remained in the job when Biden came into office. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. He was nominated by Trump on Dec. 9, 2019. On December 16, 2019, the Committee reported his nomination favorably to the Senate floor. Haley Talbot is an associate producer in the NBC News Washington bureau. He came under fire after an inspector general report found 'administrative, ethical, and policy violations'. Whats Biden waiting for when it comes to 2024? The Blanton familys use of agency vehicles added up to at least $12,434 in unreported, taxable noncash fringe benefits. Blanton also allegedly misrepresented himself as a law enforcement official. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately. Unreported, taxable noncash fringe benefits haley Talbot is an associate producer in the hearing that... 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