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. I will say that the report is filled with errors, omissions, mischaracterizations, misstatements and conclusionary statements lacking evidence.". 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? 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. Updated February 13, 2023 at 7:24 PM ET. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, the speaker tweeted Monday. 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 He came under fire after an inspector general report found 'administrative, ethical, and policy violations'. "Moreover, I have fully invested to ensure that I meet the responsibilities and the expectations of this role.". ", The call was echoed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who tweeted that Blanton "no longer has my confidence to continue in his job.. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. On December 16, 2019, the Committee reported his nomination favorably to the Senate floor. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R 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. CNN has reached out to the office of the Architect of the Capitol for response to McCarthy's call for Blanton's resignation. 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. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately, McCarthy tweeted Monday. 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 could be removed only by the president because the architect of the Capitol is a presidential appointee confirmed by the Senate. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email. I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately," he said in a statement. 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. Driving the news: Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) praised the Biden administration for terminating Blanton. 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. The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning, Steil said. Blanton rebutted that he had identified himself as a member of the Capitol Police Board, which he is, and not an officer. You can see things didnt go well for Blanton. An inspector general report released in October found that Blanton and his family had misused Architect of the 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 agencys culture to promote a positive workplace for every AOC employee, Blanton said. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Blanton denied any ethical violations during the hearing on Thursday. President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. Morelle called for Blantons resignation last week. During the pandemic, Blanton reportedly gave tours of the U.S. Capitol despite the official closure of the building to the public. "His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately.". "The Inspector Generals report was highly concerning," Steil said. Democratic New York Rep. Joe Morelle, ranking member of the House Administration Committee, confirmed the firing in a statement. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been He has repeatedly abused taxpayer dollars.Even House Democrats think its time for Blanton to go. 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. Frank Thorp V is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the Senate. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. 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. 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. He should resign or President Biden should remove him He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. "If I'm at Home Depot and something happens, there would be a delayed response getting to the Capitol," Blanton told lawmakers. hide caption. 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 served in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps for 22 years. 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. I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately.. 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. 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. On December 19, 2019, the full Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote. Blanton was appointed by former President Donald Trump but has been accused of several infractions by both parties after a recent report. Ranking Democrat Rep. Joe Morelle of New York questioned why he remained in the mobile command center. Steil suggested that Congress could reorganize the Capitol Police board in light of Blantons failure to be on Capitol grounds. He was sworn in on Jan. 16, 2020. Shortly after McCarthys tweet, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), the chairman of the House Administration Committee, joined calls for Blanton's resignation. The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. Why? 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. Joe Biden should immediately FIRE AOC Blanton. Chairman Steil Calls on Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton to Resign pic.twitter.com/klFYGejkVv, House Admin. 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. Mr. Blanton's incompetency is a danger to his office, and I join @RepJoeMorelle to call for his immediate resignation," Torres tweeted. President Biden on Monday fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton following allegations that he misrepresented himself as a law enforcement 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. here for reprint permission. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, the Western Journal reported. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - The investigation was prompted by a tip about Blanton's daughter recklessly driving an AOC Ford Explorer at a Walmart in Tyson's Corner. Blanton denied wrongdoing in a Feb. 9 hearing. here for reprint permission. His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately. Greg Nash/AP Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, the Republican heading the committee, asked if Blanton had impersonated a law enforcement officer, as alleged in the report. 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. Blanton was appointed to the role by former President Donald Trump in 2019. [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". The Capitols architect oversees the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the U.S. Capitol complex. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told NBC News, I agree with the presidents decision to fire the architect.". Maybe Morelle forgot that Democrats lost control of the House. 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 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. 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. Biden terminated Blanton after bipartisan calls for his firing or resignation were sounded by members of Congress, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. 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]. "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. The board consists of the House sergeant at arms, the Senate sergeant at arms and doorkeeper and the architect of the Capitol. The Biden administration on Monday "terminated" the Architect of the Capitol, the White House confirmed. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, has been terminated, the White House said. The report accused Blanton of ethics violations, abuse of government funds and wasting taxpayer money. "President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News. He was confirmed by a voice vote in the Republican-led Senate 10 days later. President Joe Biden has fired Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton, who was responsible for maintaining the U.S. Capitol, amid mounting allegations of ethics violations. U.S. Capitol Architect, Brett Blanton, remains under scrutiny after an intense House of Administration hearing, last Thursday. 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. 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