US President Joe Biden has reportedly fired Capitol Architect Brett Blanton amid abuse allegations.
Blanton is known for overseeing the historic building which houses Congress and its expansive grounds.
Biden reportedly fired Blanton as critics called for Biden, pressuring the President to remove Blanton after a “scathing inspector general report of personal and management lapses,” the Gateway Pundit reported.
On Monday, the White House announced that the appointment of Architect has been terminated.
In a statement released by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, he revealed that he had lost confidence in Blanton’s ability to do the job.
The controversy arose after an inspector general released a report last year where it was revealed that Blanton, a Trump-era appointee had “administrative, ethical and policy violations.”
The violations also reportedly included allegations that he abused his “government vehicle and misrepresented himself as a law enforcement official,” Gateway Pundit reported.
“Blanton came under intense criticism after the inspector general report found Blanton allowed unauthorized use of his work vehicle, including by his wife and adult daughter, racking up nearly 30,000 miles — about triple the estimate for his official use,” the report added.
During a house hearing last week, Blanton was criticized over allegation that he was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 while the area was being attacked by former President Donald Trump’s supporters.
“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 on Monday in a tweet.
Last week, Blanton was under fire for testifying during the hearing that he was indeed not at the Capitol during the attack on January 6 because it was a “telework” day under COVID-19 protocols. He was also grilled about the Capitol tours he allowed and sometimes conducted despite the imposed pandemic restrictions.
As a result, the chairman of the House Administration Committee, Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., called on Blanton to immediately resign on Monday, arguing that “the Inspector General’s report was highly concerning.”
Steil also added that Blanton’s “refusal to be transparent and truthful has made clear that he can no longer lead the organization and must resign immediately.”
