“Thank heavens the Department of Energy finally fired Sam Brinton. It’s about time,” said Ruth Institute President Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D. “Pandering to the Alphabet Lobby is the only reason he was hired in the first place.”

The now former Deputy Asst. Secretary for Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition was caught on camera stealing luggage from two airport baggage claims: a Vera Bradley suitcase worth $2,325 from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport in September, and luggage containing $3,500 in jewelry and clothing from the Harry Reid Airport in Las Vegas in July.

In Minneapolis, cameras showed Brinton taking the bag and ripping off the name tag. When questioned by police, he first claimed that he didn’t take the bag and then said he took it by mistake. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.