The government official in charge of the maintenance and operation of the U.S. Capitol was fired by President Joe Biden on Monday after he was accused of multiple ethics and administrative violations.
The accusations come from an inspector general’s report that said the Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, was not conducting himself in the manner expected of his office.
The White House shared that Blanton, who was put in his position by former President Donald Trump, was terminated on Monday, just hours after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said he no longer had confidence Blanton could do his job and suggested he resign immediately or be fired.
“The Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton, no longer has my confidence to continue in his job. He should resign or President Biden should remove him immediately,” McCarthy said Monday in a tweet.
An inspector general’s report from October 2022 concluded that Blanton and his family had been using government vehicles for weekend trips, racking up thousands of miles. The report also concluded that he had told civilians he was a law enforcement official following an accident.
Blanton testified before a congressional committee last week, and he was questioned about the report’s findings, which cited him for “administrative, ethical and policy violations” while adding that investigators were able to find “evidence of criminal violations.”
Among the topics lawmakers questioned Blaton on included an incident from March 2021. According to the report, officials received a complaint from a private citizen about the misuse of a government vehicle.
The report alleges that a driver of a black Ford Explorer, later identified as Balton’s adult daughter, was in a parking garage driving “extremely reckless,” hitting an estimated 65 mph, while also making “obscene gestures” and those nearby.
Another incident in the report was a car accident from March 2020 at the Vanish Farmwoods Brewery. According to the report, Balton told the other party involved in the crash that his car was a “government vehicle” and that he was an “agent.”
Because of this, the report says that witness statements were not taken, and a police report was not obtained, while other procedures were not followed “in accordance with policy.”
The report says that Blanton “abused his authority, misused government property, and wasted taxpayer money” while in his role.
Lastly, lawmakers grilled Blanton for his absence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Being that he was responsible for the building and its expansive grounds and building complex, lawmakers criticized him for not being present while the mob attacked.
Blanton is a former U.S. Naval officer, a civil engineer, and also spent time working as the deputy vice president at the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority.
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