It’s been a wild week for the Architect of the Capitol. On Monday, the White House announced that J. Brett Blanton has been dismissed from his post at the direction of President Joe Biden.
Blanton had been accused of impersonating a police officer and misusing government vehicles for personal trips, according to an internal watchdog report, and faced pressure to resign from both sides of the political aisle.
The report from the Office of Inspector General found that Blanton had used the vehicles for trips as far away as Florida and South Carolina, costing taxpayers almost $14,000.
He was also accused of telling Fairfax County police officers that he was a member of law enforcement while trying to pursue a suspect in a hit-and-run crash.
“The Inspector General’s report was highly concerning, which is, in part, why our first hearing was dedicated to providing oversight over the AOC.
His refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately,” House Administration Committee chairman, Bryan Steil (R., Wis.), said in a statement on Monday.
In a hearing before House lawmakers last week, Blanton denied any unethical behavior. “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 employee,” he told the House Committee on Administration on Thursday.
But ultimately, the White House declined to offer Blanton a chance to keep his job. “After doing our due diligence,” the White House said in a statement on Monday, “the President has determined that J. Brett Blanton is no longer the Architect of the Capitol.”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke out about Blanton shortly before news of his firing hit.
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.
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) February 13, 2023
The news of Blanton’s firing is a shocking turn of events for a man who had been appointed to his post by the Trump administration back in January 2020.
It shouldn’t be lost on anyone who hired Blanton and his position that was held. As obscure as his job title was, it’s highly important. Basically, he managed employees and the goings-on at the Capitol building as well as other key government facilities.
The notion that there wasn’t any political bias in the report against him would be a farfetched lie.
Erica Carlin is an independent journalist, opinion writer and contributor to several news and opinion sources. She is based in Georgia.