U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) joined a group of Republican lawmakers on Tuesday to call for the resignation of a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) employee who also happens to be a non-binary drag queen charged with stealing luggage worth over $2,000 from an airport.
According to reports, DOE’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition Sam Brinton admitted to taking a Vera Bradley suitcase from an airport in Minneapolis and hiding the belongings from the suitcase in a hotel room in September.
Brinton, 34, previously denied that he stole the luggage. However, he was caught on camera leaving the airport with the suitcase, which, along with its contents, was valued at $2,325.
Brinton was seen using the suitcase multiple times over the past few months. He was charged with felony theft, which could potentially land him five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
When the DOE placed him on leave, the Department did not inform the public that the employment status change was due to a felony charge.
Moore signed onto a letter sent to DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm, an effort headed by U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.). A total of 16 Republican lawmakers signed the letter.
The letter asks Granholm to “set aside petty politics and appoint only the most qualified and dedicated individuals to influence America’s energy sector.”
“As an appointed official, Sam Brinton represents both your Departments and the United States,” the letter reads. “It is simply not possible for an individual to represent American values and simultaneously violate the felony laws of the land. Brinton’s actions, along with your Department’s lack of transparency when dealing with this matter, reflect poorly on the Department of Energy, and they raise concern as to the Biden Administration’s priorities when appointing high-ranking officials.”
“The absence of transparency on this matter by President Biden’s Department of Energy should be concerning to all taxpayers,” Moore told 1819 News. “DOE should force this individual, who has admitted to felony theft, to resign so it can focus on the energy crisis punishing American taxpayers. Given this DOE’s abysmal track record, it can’t suffer any distractions.”
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