Few institutional or commercial facilities have a higher profile than the U.S. Capitol, and since Jan. 6, 2021, the building and its surrounding grounds have come under even greater scrutiny than usual. But for all the Capitol’s notoriety, few people outside Washington, D.C., know about the position of Architect of the Capitol, which is responsible for its maintenance and operation. That low profile rose a little recently, but not for good reasons.
President Joe Biden recently fired embattled Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, who oversees the historic building that houses Congress and its expansive grounds, as pressure mounted for his removal following a scathing inspector general report of personal and management lapses, according to the AP.
An inspector general report released last year found “administrative, ethical and policy violations” by Blanton, a Trump-era appointee, including that he abused his government vehicle and misrepresented himself as a law enforcement official. A House hearing unearthed new questions and criticisms, including that he was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when it came under attack 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 in a tweet.
The speaker’s statement came as questions and criticism swirled around the architect, who is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the historic Capitol building and its surrounding 570-acre complex and grounds.
Blanton came under intense criticism in several instances:
Dan Hounsell is senior editor of the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
