On Monday, the top official tasked with overseeing the Capitol building, and its surrounding grounds, after an inspector general report, revealed a series of professional and managerial abuses, was fired by President Biden. In a statement to CBS News, a White House Official confirmed-
"After doing our due diligence, the Architect of the Capitol was terminated at the president's direction,"
-White House Official
Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol, was terminated after a tense hearing before Congress last week, in which he testified that he was working remotely during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. In recent days, a bipartisan consensus had formed on Capitol Hill that Blanton should be dismissed. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called for Architect of the Capitol, Brett Blanton's dismissal saying-
"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."
-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Additionally, New York Rep. Joe Morelle, the Ranking Democrat, on the House Administration Committee, said that Blanton was-
"given the opportunity to respond to numerous allegations of legal, ethical, and administrative violations," and failed to "directly respond."
-New York Rep. (D) Joe Morelle
Responsible for managing a 2,000-person staff and overseeing the Capitol grounds, including the U.S. Capitol building, Library of Congress, and Supreme Court, Blanton was obviously not taking his responsibilities seriously.
He apparently took liberties with his position, that cost him the confidence of Congress and his job.
Reportedly, in June of 2020, Blanton allegedly pursued a suspect involved in a hit-and-run, in his work vehicle and "activated the emergency equipment" in the process. During that same incident, Blanton was accused of misrepresenting himself as a law enforcement officer.
These and other incidents were included the inspector general’s report, written in 2021. Blanton was also accused of allowing his family members to routinely use his work vehicle, which was equipped with "law enforcement lights and sirens, a USCP radio and a satellite phone." It’s a good thing Blanton was not in charge of a fire-truck, or other EMS unit, as he sounds wholly reckless in his use of those items of import entrusted to him.
Let’s hope his replacement is a more responsible individual, takes his post seriously and looks after these important areas of the Capitol, with a seriousness becoming the assignment. The nations Capitol should be run by someone with impeccable attention to detail and given to intense accountability.
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”
-Abraham Lincoln