Department of Energy official fired after allegedly stealing airport luggage twice

Sam Briton in front of Capitol building
(Image credit: Tom Williams / Contributor/ Getty Images)

The Department of Energy confirmed that Sam Brinton, an official responsible for nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, has been terminated from the agency after allegedly stealing airport baggage twice, CNN reports. Brinton, a longtime LGBTQ rights activist, made history as the first openly non-binary senior government official.

"Sam Brinton is no longer a DOE employee. By law, the Department of Energy cannot comment further on personnel matters," a spokesperson told reporters.

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Theara Coleman, The Week US

Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.