Washington — CBS News has discovered of a collection of efforts on Capitol Hill within the remaining days of the 117th Congress to make it simpler to take away the embattled Architect of the Capitol or to scale back his capacity to misuse a perk of his workplace.
The new efforts even embody a small however hanging piece of language within the 4,155-page spending invoice signed into legislation by President Biden to fund the federal government subsequent yr.
The strikes comply with a blistering inside assessment by the company’s inspector normal final yr of J. Brett Blanton, who at the moment holds the place overseeing the amenities, historic artifacts and U.S. Capitol grounds. The inspector normal stated its investigation discovered Blanton abused his authority and squandered taxpayer cash, together with by permitting his household to make use of his government-owned SUVs, and driving the autos on household holidays to South Carolina, West Virginia and Florida, and a visit to a craft brewery.
The report additionally alleges Blanton allowed his spouse and daughter to drive his government-issued automotive, together with one occasion wherein his daughter was accused of driving recklessly. The report stated Blanton’s daughter “had transported both her friends and boyfriend in the vehicle and referred to using the [Architect of the Capitol]’s fuel as ‘free gas.'”
In one other occasion, the report stated Blanton claimed to be a legislation enforcement agent, and after a site visitors accident, “When the driver inquired about Blanton’s insurance information, Blanton told him it was a government vehicle and that he was an ‘agent,'” stated the report.
In the ultimate days of the 117th Congress, the highest Democrat and Republican on the Senate Rules Committee launched laws to make it simpler for Congress to take away the Architect of the Capitol from workplace. The laws would permit for the dismissal of the Architect by “impeachment or joint resolution of Congress” in circumstances of “permanent disability, inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance; or a felony or conduct involving moral turpitude.”
Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri who didn’t search reelection, acknowledged it was unlikely the invoice can be taken up by the Senate forward of Tuesday morning expiration of all laws proposed within the 117th Congress. But Blunt instructed CBS News “This was as good a time as any to alleviate the concern” that solely the president of the United States can hearth an Architect of the Capitol. Blunt instructed CBS News, “Congress needs to have more capacity to evaluate the Architect of the Capitol’s performance.”
The Architect of the Capitol is a presidential appointee who, although confirmed by the Senate, can’t be instantly eliminated by the Senate. The new laws seeks to offer Congress leverage and functionality to take away the Architect.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, the highest Democrat on the Senate Rules committee, additionally sponsored the laws. Klobuchar and Blunt each just lately known as publicly for Blanton’s resignation.
“Based on the overwhelming evidence of misconduct outlined in this report, Mr. Blanton must resign. He should be held accountable and reimburse the government,” they stated in a joint written assertion shortly after the inner assessment was made public.
A CBS News assessment of the large year-end spending plan to fund the federal authorities reveals language was added to additional prohibit the Architect of the Capitol’s car use. The laws, which was signed into legislation final week, consists of language permitting the Architect of the Capitol to have continued use of a taxpayer-funded car. But in contrast to prior spending payments that did so, the brand new invoice particularly restricts the car utilization for “home-to-work” journey. It additionally adjustments the language of prior spending payments to particularly restrict the car’s utilization to the Architect or a “duly authorized designee.”
Blanton didn’t return a number of requests for remark.
The Architect of the Capitol’s Inspector General stated in an announcement to CBS News that its probe discovered Blanton wasted $14,000 in taxpayer funds. A spokesperson for the inspector normal stated, “Thus far, Blanton’s office has not provided a response to address or rectify the substantiated charges against him; however, his office is not required to in this case.”
Blanton oversees a workforce of almost 2,000 and can also be a part of the US Capitol Police Board. He was the one member of the board who didn’t resign or lose his or her place after the safety failures on the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol assault.