Michael Stenger, the man in charge of Senate security on the day of the US Capitol insurrection, was found dead on Monday amid ongoing hearings on the January 6 riots.

Stenger, who was the head of the sergeant-at-arms team of the Senate, held the post from 2018 to 2021, and resigned on January 7, 2021, following scathing criticism by members of Congress for his handling of security on January 6.

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Who was Michael Stenger?

A graduate from Farleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, Stenger had a stint with the US Marine Corps (USMC), in which he attained the rank of Captain, before joining the US Secret Service.

Stenger’s career with the Secret Service was a lengthy one. In his 35-years with the agency, Stenger served in Washington DC, New York, and Newark, in “protective, investigative, and staff assignments” and is credited for having implemented innovative “investigative policies for cyber- and fraud-related crimes” according to official documents.

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For his contributions, Stenger received the President’s Meritorious Rank Award and the Vice President’s Award for Excellence in Financial Crimes Management.

In 2011, Stenger joined the office of the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate as an Assistant Sergeant at Arms, and went on to become the Chief of Staff for the Sergeant at Arms in 2015.

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Following the retirement of Frank J Larkin, who served as the 40th Sergeant at Arms of the Senate from 2015 to 2018, Stenger was nominated for the post by then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and appointed unanimously.

However, Stenger came under fire for his handling of security during the Capitol riots of January, and was criticised by both McConnell and then-Minority Leader Chuck Schumer alike, with the latter threatening to sack Stenger unless he resigned before the Democrats took power.