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. Blanton did himself few favors with his testimony to the House Administration Committee last week in which he admitted to being absent from the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack. President Joe Biden fired the Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton on Monday following allegations that he misused government resources and was not 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 Copyright 2023 HotAir.com/Salem Media. He came under fire after an inspector general report found 'administrative, ethical, and policy violations'. Joe Biden should immediately FIRE AOC Blanton. CNN President Joe Biden fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton on Monday following allegations that he misused government resources and was not If you want the facts, then sign up below and join our movement for objective news: Get news from American Digest in your inbox. Blanton could be removed only by the president because the architect of the Capitol is a presidential appointee confirmed by the Senate. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds and wasting taxpayer money. Committee Chair Bryan Steil, R-Wis., called on Blanton to resign Monday, saying in a statement that his "refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clearthat he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately. "The Inspector General's report was highly concerning, which is, in part, why our first hearing was dedicated to providing oversight over the AOC. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been accused of several infractions by both parties after a recent report. The vehicle was driven for some 30,000 miles despite limitations to use for official work only. Blanton was dismissed months after an inspector generals report substantiated claims that he had abused his authority. 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.. In another instance, he called himself an "agent" after he got in an accident at a brewery while using the vehicle on vacation, the report found. The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for maintaining and operating Capitol grounds, and sits on the Capitol Police Board. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R Blanton responded that he did not have police radios and sufficient equipment in his house. WebPresident Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. 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. 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 Blanton is one of three voting members of the United States Capitol Police Board, which oversees the USCP. 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. 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. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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. Biden ousted Brett Blanton, the previous capitol architect, earlier this month after an inspector generals report found that he misused his authority. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), the ranking member on the House Administration Committee, welcomed Blanton's ouster. J. Brett Blanton, the architect of the Capitol, speaks at the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov. 29. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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." Haley Talbot is an associate producer in the NBC News Washington bureau. He then served as Deputy Vice President for Engineering at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority which operates the Reagan National and Dulles International Airports. His responsibilities include overseeing the Capitol's property management and operations. 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 Outrageous that you were not here.. In an exchange with the committee chairman, Republican Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, Blanton defended not being at the Capitol during the insurrection because he claimed he was unable to drive there since there were so many people on the grounds. He previously called for Blanton to be terminated. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisc. 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.. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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. His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately," said Steil. WaPo: FBI resisted Mar-a-Lago raid, DoJ prosecutors demanded it. Blanton was appointed to the role by former President Donald Trump in 2019. We publish the objective news, period. During the pandemic, Blanton reportedly gave tours of the U.S. Capitol despite the official closure of the building to the public. Did You Ever Wonder How and Why the Left Is Able to Push Their Narratives Almost Unhindered? [10] Congressional representatives called for Blanton to resign. President Biden on Monday fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton following allegations that he misrepresented himself as a law enforcement officer and led banned tours, among other charges. The House Republicans' Twitter account on Friday requested Biden to remove Blanton immediately. The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning, Steil said. "He should resign, or President Biden should remove him immediately," the California Republican added. Previous:McCarthy calls on the Architect of the Capitol to resign after damaging IG report. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told NBC News, I agree with the presidents decision to fire the architect.". Could you not have fulfilled the same function at home using a cell phone? Morelle asked Blanton. An inspector general report released in October found that Blanton and his family had misused Architect of the I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new architect immediately, Morelle said. J. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, was grilled by House Committee on Administration members last week. 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 big picture: An inspector general report last year accused Brett Blanton, who was appointed by former President Trump, of abusing his authority. 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. Blanton was the only member of the Capitol Police Board who still had a job after the Jan. 6 riot. Blanton was responsible for the upkeep and operation of over 18 million square feet of buildings and 570 acres of land throughout the U.S. Capitol complex. He was the only member of the board who did not resign or lose 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. Shortly after McCarthys tweet, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), the chairman of the House Administration Committee, joined calls for Blanton's resignation. He said he was using his official vehicle at the mobile command post. 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. 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. Maybe Morelle forgot that Democrats lost control of the House. "Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.". 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 CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. The backdrop: The report found that Blanton serially misused government-issued vehicles for personal trips, and falsely identified himself as a law enforcement officer. 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. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Ill note that it appears that Rep. Morelle is taking credit for Blantons termination. 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. 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. 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. "Blanton told the other party involved that it was a government vehicle, he was an 'agent' and he did not have insurance information because the government would handle the insurance claim," according to the report. 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. 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. 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.. [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. He was nominated by Trump on Dec. 9, 2019. 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]. CAPITOL HILL'S TOP MANAGER FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING FOR ALLEGED MISUSE OF POSITION The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no Blanton was three years into a 10-year-long term. I look forward to continuing to conduct robust oversight to ensure our government is accountable to the American people, Steil said in a statement on Monday. Should brett blanton resignation him immediately, '' the California Republican added `` Moreover I! 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