1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Click Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News. Steil suggested that Congress could reorganize the Capitol Police board in light of Blantons failure to be on Capitol grounds. The committees top Democrat, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle of New York, also called for Mr. Blanton to step down. [1] He was sworn in on January 16, 2020.[7]. He was sworn in on Jan. 16, 2020. 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. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. On December 19, 2019, the full Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote. Calls for Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blantons ouster or resignation are getting louder in the wake of a fiery House Administration hearing earlier this week. 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.. Blanton was appointed in 2019 by President Donald Trump to a ten-year term. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy said in a tweet on Monday. 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 Inspector Generals report was highly concerning, Steil said. Blanton was nominated to a 10-year term by former President Donald Trump; he started the job in January 2020. He has repeatedly abused taxpayer dollars. Driving the news: Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) praised the Biden administration for terminating Blanton. The driver turned out to be Blanton's daughter, who also "made obscene gestures toward" the complainant "while at the stop sign outside the parking garage." 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. 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. "You would have to address that with members of my family," Blanton responded. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact. After all this, House Administration Committee Chairman Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) called for Blanton's resignation. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre previously told reporters Monday that the administration was weighing its options. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), the ranking member on the House Administration Committee, welcomed Blanton's ouster. No Architect has ever been removed by Congress, but the Senate is considering legislation that would clarify that the position is subject to impeachment. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Blanton served in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps for 22 years. Ranking member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) was so unsatisfied by Blantons performance, he called for his resignation #FireBlanton https://t.co/Ijf1xNCsxY. Blanton was dismissed months after an inspector generals report substantiated claims that he had abused his authority. I wholeheartedly reject any assertion that I engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country, Blanton said in the hearing. Doctors prescribe Ozempic off label: Is that OK? ", "I wholeheartedly reject any assertation that I've engaged in unethical behavior during my service to this country," Blanton said. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, has been terminated, the White House said. Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. Democratic New York Rep. Joe Morelle, ranking member of the House Administration Committee, confirmed the firing in a statement. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisc. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle jumped on that. 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. NPR's Scott Detrow contributed to this report. 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. Joe Biden should immediately FIRE AOC Blanton. Blanton said he was monitoring developments remotely during the Jan. 6 riot. 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 office of the architect did not immediately respond to requests for comment. CAPITOL HILL'S TOP MANAGER FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING FOR ALLEGED MISUSE OF POSITION The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no "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," Morelle said in a statement. marijuana special election, Voters re-elect members of Oklahoma City Council, Yukon bond election set for street improvements, Prominent Republicans hold off on backing Trump, Registration deadline approaching for recreational, Oklahoma voters to decide on massive school bond, Judge dismisses Kari Lakes last election challenges, DeSantis tops Trump by 23 points among Republicans, SCOTUS hears case to determine who controls elections, Trump hosts Mar-a-Lago event with prominent QAnon,, RNC chief on criticism of early voting: We need, John Bolton going to seriously consider challenging, Why Democrats are so optimistic about winning the, Arizona certifies 2022 election results amid threat, DNC panel votes to make South Carolina first nominating, Defeated Arizona hopeful Kari Lake sues Maricopa, Republican House majority climbs to 220 with win, Ex-Trump defense chief: Hes unfit for office,, OK rep calling for change to state Board of Education, Flashpoint: Should taxpayers pay for Catholic charter, Flashpoint team talks DEI, State of the Union, Flashpoint team talks recreational marijuana in OK, Flashpoint team talks classified documents, Ryan, Flashpoint team talks high-profile ruling regarding, Chocolate peanut butter cups recalled nationwide, Dish Network confirms cybersecurity breach, AAA urges these Honda owners to check for recalls, After death, blindness, FDA expands eye drop warning, 145K cans of baby formula recalled out of abundance, Netflix tackling password sharing: 3 things to know, FDA recalls Starbucks drink that may contain glass, Tesla recalling 362K vehicles due to crash risk, Disney character toys recalled over choking hazard, Childrens pajamas recalled over burn risk, OKC police update investigation into Hobby Lobby, Windshield covers and other handy gear you need for, 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, WATCH: Trooper rescues and adopts injured kitten, Hero school bus driver saves student from passing, Graphic video shows student attacking teachers aide, DUI Driver plows into church, injures three, WATCH: Fleeing suspects car misses train by mere, Cameras capture suspects stealing $50,000 in handbags, Dish Network still reeling from week-old ransomware, TikTok sets new default time limits for minors, Edmunds: The most affordable EVs for 2023, Here are the countries that have bans on TikTok, This feature may be making your iPhone charge slower, Protesters to Norways energy minister: you talk, Man who asked where Capitol swamp rats were on, Jan. 6 rioter who carried Confederate flag sentenced, 47 years? 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. 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. 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.". 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.. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Mr. Morelle praised the White Houses decision to remove Mr. Blanton, calling it the right thing.. Blanton denied wrongdoing in a Feb. 9 hearing. President Biden on Monday fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton following allegations that he misrepresented himself as a law enforcement The Washington Times The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006. The inspector generals report, released in October, said Blanton had misused his government vehicle by driving it to vacation destinations and allowing his family to use it for personal matters. 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. "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? The AOC IG report also details a minor accident involving Blanton at a Virginia brewery involving another driver who backed into the government SUV while it was improperly parked. Never use the company vehicle for personal business. Blantons dismissal came just hours after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said he had lost confidence in Blanton and Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. At the hearing, Blanton said he was frustrated by the current distraction created by the inspector generals report.. Even House Democrats think its time for Blanton to go, the tweet read. 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. 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. He referred to it as "an alternate work site" and said having to switch vehicles would slow him down. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. After doing our due diligence, the Architect of [the] Capitol was terminated at the Presidents direction, the official said in a statement. 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 vehicle was driven for some 30,000 miles despite limitations to use for official work only. Meanwhile, the inspector general's report said Blanton's adult child called it "free gas" for her. Bill would get rid of the Democratic Party in Fla. Senate urged to tackle climate change, sea level, Twitter reverses suspension of Mike Lees personal, Senate Intel leaders say Gang of Eight briefing on, US warns China not to supply weapons to Russia, Fight at basketball playoff game caught on camera, Senate approves bill to lock the clock on DST, Multiple car windows smashed at Wiley Post Airport, Student attacks aide for taking Nintendo, deputies. An inspector general's report said Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton "abused his authority," "misused government property" and "wasted taxpayer money.". here for reprint permission. 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. Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.. 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