Department of Energy official fired after allegedly stealing airport luggage twice
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.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Before the news that Brinton had been fired, Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) and 15 other House Republicans sent a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging her to demand Brinton's resignation. The letter alleges that Brinton"was placed on leave without providing crucial context clarifying that Brinton's recent employment status was the result of a felony charge."
On Twitter, Clyde suggested that Brinton's hiring was a part of Biden's agenda to prioritize "wokeness." "I hope this fiasco makes the Biden Administration think twice before prioritizing wokeness above competence again," Clyde tweeted in response to the news.
-
Should the EU and UK join Trump’s board of peace?Today's Big Question After rushing to praise the initiative European leaders are now alarmed
-
Antonia Romeo and Whitehall’s women problemThe Explainer Before her appointment as cabinet secretary, commentators said hostile briefings and vetting concerns were evidence of ‘sexist, misogynistic culture’ in No. 10
-
Local elections 2026: where are they and who is expected to win?The Explainer Labour is braced for heavy losses and U-turn on postponing some council elections hasn’t helped the party’s prospects
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
