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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 14 February 2023
Biden fires Architect of the Capitol over alleged abuses

By LISA MASCARO and ton’s “refusal to be trans-
COLLEEN LONG parent and truthful has
Associated Press made clear that he can
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- no longer lead the organi-
dent Joe Biden has fired the zation and must resign im-
embattled Architect of the mediately. I look forward
Capitol, Brett Blanton, fol- to continuing to conduct
lowing a scathing inspec- robust oversight to ensure
tor general report on his our government is ac-
personal and professional countable to the American
management and calls for people.”
his removal. The Office of the Inspec-
The White House said Mon- tor General report issued
day that Blanton’s appoint- in October 2022 found that
ment was terminated. It Blanton had “Abused His
comes as House Speaker Authority, Misused Govern-
Kevin McCarthy said Mon- ment Property and Wasted
day he’d lost confidence Taxpayer Money, Among
in Blanton’s ability to do Other Substantiated Viola-
the job. An inspector gen- tions.” The inspector gen-
eral report released last eral said it received a hot-
year found “administra- line complaint on March 7,
tive, ethical and policy 2021, “concerning the mis-
violations” by Blanton, a J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol, speaks during the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting use” of an AOC (Architect
Trump-era appointee, in- Ceremony, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington. of the Capitol) vehicle.
cluding that he abused Associated Press It said the black Ford Ex-
his government vehicle should remove him imme- authorized use of his work conducted despite pan- plorer near the Walmart at
and misrepresented him- diately,” McCarthy said vehicle, including by his demic restrictions. An inves- Tyson’s Corner was driving
self as a law enforcement Monday in a tweet. wife and adult daughter, tigation launched after a “extremely reckless in the
official. A House hearing The speaker’s statement racking up nearly 30,000 hotline tip about unauthor- parking garage and swerv-
last week unearthed new came as questions and miles about triple the esti- ized use of his work vehicle ing out of the garage at
questions and criticisms in- criticism swirled around the mate for his official use. drew attention to his office. a high rate of speed, esti-
cluding that he was not at architect, who is respon- Blanton also came under On Monday, the chairman mated to be about 65 miles
the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, sible for the maintenance fire when he testified that of the House Administration per hour (mph) in a 30-mph
when it came under attack and operation of the histor- he was not at the Capi- Committee, Rep. Bryan zone.”
by former President Donald ic Capitol building and its tol during the Jan. 6, 2021 Steil, R-Wis., also called on The complainant said the
Trump’s supporters. surrounding complex and attack because it was a Blanton to immediately re- driver, a woman later iden-
“The Architect of the Capi- grounds. “telework” day under CO- sign. tified to be Blanton’s adult
tol, Brett Blanton, no longer Blanton has come under VID-19 protocols. “The Inspector General’s daughter, “made obscene
has my confidence to con- intense criticism after the He also faced fierce ques- report was highly concern- gestures toward them while
tinue in his job. He should inspector general report tions about Capitol tours ing,” Steil said. He said at at the stop sign outside the
resign or President Biden found Blanton allowed un- he allowed and sometimes last week’s hearing, Blan- parking garage.” q

Antisemitism worries rising for many U.S. Jews, survey finds

By The Associated Press porters. mitic expressions, either in
More than four in ten Jews According to the AJC sur- person or on social media,
in the United States feel vey, 41% of the respondents with 3% reporting a physi-
their status in America is less said the status of Jews in the cal attack.
secure than it was a year U.S. is less secure than it was Nearly four in 10 changed
earlier, according to a new the year before, while 55% their behavior to lower risks
survey by the American said it was the same. Only to their safety.
Jewish Committee. 4% thought it was more se- Similarly, nearly four in ten
The survey, conducted cure. reported avoiding visible
in the fall of 2022, was re- The results show anxieties expressions of Jewishness in
leased Monday by the increasing since a com- public, such as wearing a
AJC, a prominent Jewish parable survey in 2021, skullcap. Smaller percent-
advocacy organization. when 31% of respondents ages reported taking simi-
The survey was taken in a thought their status was less lar steps on campus or at
year of high-profile inci- secure than a year earlier. work.
dents of antisemitism, in- Four in five Jews said in the Other findings:
cluding a hostage-taking 2022 survey that antisemi- Nearly 90% of U.S. Jews and The Congregation Beth Israel synagogue is shown, Jan. 16, 2022,
at a Texas synagogue and tism has grown in the past the same percentage of in Colleyville, Texas.
anti-Jewish statements five years; nearly half said the country’s total popula- Associated Press
shared by celebrities on it’s taken less seriously than tion believe antisemitism is priately responsive when it from a nationally repre-
social media. Former Presi- other forms of bigotry or a serious problem, up from comes to antisemitism, a sentative sample of 1,507
dent Donald Trump dined hate. 73% in 2016. substantial drop from 2019 adults of Jewish religion or
with two openly antisemitic A quarter of the respon- Of the Jews surveyed in when that number was background.
guests, drawing criticism dents said they were di- 2022, 63% said that they see 81%. It was conducted from
from his own Jewish sup- rectly targeted by antise- law enforcement as appro- The survey collected data Sept. 28 through Nov. 3.q