(TheRedWire.com) – In June, Sam Brinton became the deputy assistant secretary of spent fuel and waste disposition in the Department of Energy (DOE). “They,” the pronoun Brinton prefers, were the first gender non-binary person to hold the position. In October, Brinton, a nuclear engineer, revealed their appointment upset many people despite their multiple MIT degrees and a decade of work in nuclear policy.
Despite their gender status, Brinton has gotten themself in trouble on several occasions. The latest allegations came on Thursday, December 8. Las Vegas police reported they issued a felony arrest warrant on grand larceny charges after Brinton reportedly stole a suitcase in an airport for the second time this year.
Police Issue Felony Warrant for DOE Official’s Arrest
Law enforcement authorities allege Brinton stole luggage from a traveler at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. The date of the occurrence is unknown. Police charged the thirty-five-year-old with grand larceny of an item valued between $1,200 and $5,000. In Nevada, grand larceny is a category B felony. They face one to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
It’s not their first time in trouble for stealing a suitcase in an airport. In September, police accused the DOE official of swiping a Vera Bradley suitcase worth more than $2,300 from a luggage carousel at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Cameras observed Brinton in the airport with the luggage. On October 9, surveillance cameras at Washington Dulles Airport caught the same piece.
Brinton later told police they did take the item but claimed it belonged to them. Soon after, they admitted to the police they weren’t honest and said it was a mistake. Police charged the government official with a felony.
Republicans Call On the Department of Energy To Remove Brinton
In the wake of the first incident in September, the Energy Department placed the gender non-binary official on leave. On Tuesday, December 6, before the second allegation, a group of House Republicans wrote Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm demanding Briton’s dismissal.
They demanded Brinton’s resignation and then requested the department “set aside petty politics” to find candidates who sincerely want to help the nation move the energy market into the future. The lawmakers said it’s impossible for anyone to simultaneously represent American values and violate the law. They noted how the federal agency handled the situation has raised concerns about the administration’s priorities. They added that anyone charged with a felony should not influence government policies.
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