Sam Brinton, Biden Energy Official, Accused of Second Luggage Theft
Brinton was previously accused of allegedly stealing luggage from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport in September.
Sam Brinton, the first out nonbinary person to hold a high-ranking position in a presidential administration, has been accused for the second time of stealing luggage from an airport terminal, this time in Las Vegas.
Brinton, who became deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy earlier this year, has been accused of allegedly stealing luggage from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to Las Vegas CBS affiliate KLAS-TV.
A felony warrant was issued for Brinton on a charge of grand larceny, with a value of between $1,200 and $5,000, KLAS reports. Few other details are currently available, including the date of the alleged theft.
Brinton was previously charged in October with felony theft of a movable property without consent, a charge that could carry up to five years in jail, a $10,000 fine, or both, if convicted.
In the Minneapolis incident, Brinton is accused of taking a Vera Bradley suitcase, valued at $2,325, from a luggage carousel at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport back in September.
They initially denied taking the luggage when questioned by police, but later claimed to have mistaken the suitcase as their own, despite not having checked a bag prior to their flight, according to a complaint filed in Minnesota district court. Airport video surveillance footage reportedly shows them removing the suitcase’s ID tag after removing it from the luggage carousel, prosecutors claim.
Brinton was later seen using the suitcase in question on two separate occasions. They are scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 19 on the charge, and have been placed on leave since the incident.
In response to the criminal charge stemming from the Minneapolis incident, a group of House Republicans has penned a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, demanding that Brinton — whose gender identity and high-profile position within the administration has infuriated social conservatives and gender skeptics ever since their appointment — resign from their post.
According to the New York Post, the group of 16 Republicans, led by U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), argue that allowing Brinton to remain employed by the U.S. government is untenable.
“As an appointed official, Sam Brinton represents both your Department and the United States. It is simply not possible for an individual to represent American values and simultaneously violate the felony laws of the land,” the lawmakers’ letter reads. “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. It is imperative that we do not allow a person charged with a felony to influence America’s policies.
“Your Department should be dedicated to a pro-American energy agenda, focusing on restoring energy independence and lowering energy prices across the nation,” the lawmakers wrote to Granholm. “However, to many Americans, it appears that you are more interested in playing politics and protecting an employee who admitted to felony theft to police than providing real solutions for hard-working Americans. Therefore, we demand the resignation of Sam Brinton, and we implore you to set aside petty politics and appoint only the most qualified and dedicated individuals to influence America’s energy sector.”
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