Federal watchdog accuses Architect of the Capitol of ethics violations over offer to give 'patriots'

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

A federal watchdog is accusing the Architect of the Capitol, who was appointed to by former President Donald Trump, of ethics violations over an offer to provide tours to “patriots” weeks before the November 2020 election.

The inspector general with oversight over J. Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, found that one of his immediate family members offered private tours of the US Capitol in September 2020 while the building was closed due to Covid-19, according to a newly released report.

A post on social media included photos of Blanton and the family member from the dome of the Capitol with a comment stating: “This is happening!!!” and “All PATRIOTS welcome,” according to the report. That comment was later edited to read: “*Patriots=Americans who love America. Not a candidate,” the report said.

The inspector general also accused Blanton of abuse of government property and wasting taxpayer dollars by allowing his family to drive a government-owned vehicle and taking the vehicles on out-of-town trips to South Carolina and Florida, according to the report.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/01/politics/architect-of-the-capitol-ethics-violations/index.html

[Thomas Hurt]

1. Well of course, the Pig appointments are a license to graft and grift.

[exboyfil]

2. The four individuals most responsible for security in the Capitol

were all put in place by Republicans (Sgt at Arms Senate & House, Architect, and the Capitol Police Chief). Three of the four were bounced after Jan. 6th. It seems the Architect should have been as well.

Everything Trump touches gets corrupted.

[Effete Snob]

3. The lede is buried here

"...the probe into Blanton began in March 2021 when a private citizen reported a woman drove Blanton’s government-issued SUV recklessly by swerving out of a Walmart garage, driving 65 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone, and making obscene gestures at another driver."



LOL

"a Walmart garage"

[Justice]

9. The buried lede is offering private tours of the Capitol during fall of 2020 to "PATRIOTS"

"Throughout the investigation, the OIG obtained multiple social media posts created by M. Blanton, including photographs of congressional license plates and a photograph of her and Blanton on September 30, 2020, from the dome of the U.S. Capitol with a comment stating, “This is happening!!!” and “All PATRIOTS welcome…PM me � �� �.” The specific comment was then later edited to read “*Patriots=Americans who love America. Not a candidate.” On the same date, an additional photograph taken from the U.S. Capitol was posted with the comment, “Contact me for a private tour. All PATRIOTS accepted! While it is not against AOC policy to post photographs from the U.S. Capitol, M. Blanton openly offered tours of the building while it was closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, on December 28, 2021, M. Blanton publicly published images and comments on social media stating she took her swim team on a tour of the U.S. Capitol while it was still closed to the public. None of the posts or photographs are specifically in violation of U.S. Code (U.S.C.); however, offering private tours of the U.S. Capitol creates the appearance of impropriety and using a public position for private gain, which is a violation of AOC policy."

[Evolve Dammit]

4. This is potentially quite serious. Maybe more than "ethics" violations??

[Justice]

10. from the OIG report (linked in article)

"The OIG identified a significant amount of administrative, ethical and policy violations as well as 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. The OIG is dedicated to promoting economy and efficiency and preventing and detecting fraud, waste and abuse within the AOC’s programs and operations. 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."

[Evolve Dammit]

11. Thanks. Any idea what the next step would be?

[Justice]

16. It looks like no criminal charges, maybe administrative action?

The Architect of the Capitol shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate for a term of 10 years.

President Trump nominated Brett Blanton as Architect of the Capitol on December 9, 2019. On December 19, 2019, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote. He was sworn in on January 16, 2020. So his term runs until January 16, 2030.

The OIG is pretty damming - hard to know whether he'd resign. Don't know how hard it is to push him out. He seems to have no shame.

[Evolve Dammit]

18. "no shame". A requirement for any Repuke these days it would appear. Wonder if it's on the resume?

[Pas-de-Calais]

5. Scum of the earth is who he hired

[Hekate]

6. I am shocked at this -- I had no idea the Architect was a political appointee...

My gods there is no end to the corruption foisted on us by Trump.

[ancianita]

7. That guy's got to go. Biden or Pelosi should force him to resign.

[Hope22]

8. It's always been curious....

about how the emergency alarms in the Capitol offices were disconnected. May all the pieces fall into place!

[electric_blue68]

14. Ohhhh hmmmm!

[Botany]

19. "(Malcom) Nance's Law: "Coincidence takes a lot of planning."

And of the 658 windows on the US Capitol only 12 along with 2 doors were not upgraded to
be bomb proof. The J-6 rioters/thugs hit each one of those to get into the Capitol. Now who
would have had that knowledge to pass onto the coup goers?

************

The majority of the Capitol’s 658 single-pane windows were quietly upgraded during a 2017-19 renovation of the historic building. The original wooden frames and glass were covered with a second metal frame containing bomb-resistant glass.

But planners skipped about a dozen ground-floor windows, including some located in doors, because they were deemed to be low risk in the event of implosion, largely due to their discreet or shielded location, or because the building couldn’t structurally handle the load of the heavier frames.

And, well…

And whether by sheer luck, real-time trial and error, or advance knowledge by rioters, several of those vulnerable windows and two glass-paned doors — protected with only a thin Kevlar film added after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — became easy entry points for hundreds of Trump supporters who overran and ransacked the building on Jan. 6.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a37884804/january-6-capitol-riot-unreinforced-windows/

We do have a deep state and it is pro Christo Fascist.

welcome to DU

[Hope22]

20. Yes to all of this!

Thanks for the welcome. 😁

[NullTuples]

12. The Trump Administration was grifters, all the way down.

[republianmushroom]

13. LIKE IT

[lees1975]

15. Waiting for Trump's indictment for January 6th

and that will resolve all this other stuff.

Get the guy who was behind it, and get him behind bars. This movement will whither and die.

[summer_in_TX]

17. Oh my, I bet there IS a connection...

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is responsible to the United States Congress for the maintenance, operation, development and preservation of 16.5 million square feet of buildings and more than 450 acres of land throughout Capitol Hill.

between the Architect of the Capitol and the disabling of the panic buttons.