Biden FIRES Capitol’s top manager for admitting he stayed in his car during the January 6 riot and was accused of wasting taxpayer’s money by letting his family drive his government car
- Blanton had already faced allegations of using a government vehicle for personal use and posing as a law enforcement officer
- Last week during a House hearing he admitted he avoided the Capitol on Jan 6
- Blanton said he did not think it would be ‘prudent’ to go in, and instead worked from his government vehicle
President Biden on Monday fired the Trump-appointed architect of the Capitol after a call from GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after he allegedly misused federal resources and avoided Capitol Hill on January 6.
Biden is the only official with the power to fire Brett Blanton, who manages the Capitol complex.
Blanton faced bipartisan heat last week during a hearing where members from both parties on the House Administration Committee called for his resignation.
Blanton had already faced allegations of using a government vehicle for personal use and posing as a law enforcement officer, but during the hearing Thursday he admitted that he intentionally avoided the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Brett Blanton faced bipartisan heat last week during a hearing where members from both parties on the House Administration Committee called for his resignation
Blanton said he did not think it would be ‘prudent’ to come to work that day. Instead, he said his government vehicle served as his ‘mobile command post’ during the attack and he listened to police radio and gave orders from afar.
Blanton was one vote on a three-member Capitol Police Board tasked with making security decisions for the congressional complex and overseeing Capitol Hill’s police force.
Meanwhile an Oct. 26 report by the Office of the Inspector General said it found ‘evidence of criminal violations throughout the investigation.’
‘Blanton misled and provided false information to investigators on multiple occasions. Blanton used taxpayer dollars to fund an additional personal vehicle for his family. … 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.’
Blanton stands accused of using the government vehicle to drive all across the Washington region, and even as far as Florida and South Carolina with his family. The report said he also impersonated a law enforcement officer after a family member experienced a hit-and-run.
Biden fired Blanton on Monday after a request from Speaker Kevin McCarthy and members of the House Administration Committee
Addressing the allegations publicly for the first time last week, Blanton said he used his federal vehicle in case he had to rush back to the Capitol in the event of an emergency.
Another statement he made flew in the face of that assertion – the architect said he strategically planned his family vacations with easy access to a military airlift in case he needed to rush back to Washington.
Blanton claimed to have no knowledge of accusations that his 17-year-old daughter and wife drove the government vehicle. ‘That would be something that would have to be discussed with them,’ he told the committee.
‘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,’ Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., ranking member on the Administration Committee, said in a statement after the ouster.
