'Theft, fraud, waste and abuse': Biden fires Capitol architect after 'calls to resign' from both parties

13 February 2023

President Joe Biden has fired former president Donald Trump-nominated Capitol building architect, J. Brett Blanton, following bipartisan calls for his resignation due to “administrative, ethical and policy violations,” The Washington Post reports.

Per CNN, a White House official confirmed, “after doing our due diligence, the Architect of Capitol was terminated at the President’s direction.”

Blanton's firing comes three years into a 10-year contract, months after facing accusations from "his office’s inspector general of using government vehicles for family getaways and misrepresenting himself as a law enforcement officer."

An October 2022 report by the Office of Inspector General noted Blanton made several “administrative, ethical and policy violations,” and also provided “evidence of criminal violations throughout the investigation.”

Most recently, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and House Administration Committee (HCA) Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) added themselves to the list of officials calling for his resignation, which came after last week's House committee hearing when Blanton "testified that he avoided going to the Capitol during the Jan. 6" attack.

CNN reports HCA Chairman, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) also called for Blanton's resignation this week.

New York Democratic Rep. Joseph Morelle and House Administration Committee leader said, “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 continued, "President Biden did the right thing and heeded my call for action. I look forward to working with my colleagues to begin a search for a new Architect immediately."

During the hearing, The Post reports Blanton "thought it wouldn’t be 'prudent' to drive to work that day and it 'would not have been practical.'”

He contended "getting inside the building would have been impossible 'because of the security situation' and the 'thousands of people that were blocking the access.'”

The Capitol Police board member contested the accusations of violations, according to CNN.

“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 (Architect of the Capitol) employee," he said.

The Office of Inspector General's report noted Blanton “'misled and provided false information to investigators on multiple occasions,' including by using taxpayer dollars to 'fund an additional personal vehicle for his family,'” The Post reports.

Furthermore, the report stated “Blanton’s actions have violated every pillar the OIG operates under including theft, fraud, waste and abuse against not only the AOC but also the taxpayer."

The Post reports:

The investigation found that Blanton and his family repeatedly used his office’s SUVs for weekend trips to a Loudoun County craft brewery, destinations in Florida and South Carolina, and “general family use.”

The report also stated Blanton's wife and daughter drove the government owned SUV multiple times "without him," but with his "permission," while his daughter assured her friends of "free gas" trips.

In 2020, The Post notes, "Blanton misrepresented himself and pretended to be a member of law enforcement" to "chase a car that struck his daughter’s boyfriend’s vehicle near their home."

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