Michael Stenger, Senate sergeant-at-arms during Capitol riots, dies

#CapitolHill #CapitolRiots #SecretService

Michael Stenger was found dead on Monday
The cause of his death was unclear
Stenger served as the chief of Senate security during the Capitol riots

Written By:Shiladitya

Updated: June 27 2022 05:07:28 PM ET Washington, D.C., USA

Michael Stenger, the sergeant-at-arms who oversaw security in the Senate during the Capitol riots of January 6, 2021, reportedly died on Monday.

While the Washington Examiner initially reported Stenger’s death, Fox News reporter Chad Pergram confirmed that the law enforcement official had indeed died on Monday. The cause of his death was unknown at the time of writing.

1) Fox confirms that Michael Stenger, the Senate Sergeant at Arms who was in charge of Senate security the day of the Capitol riot, has died.

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 27, 2022

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A former Secret Service agent, Stenger joined the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate in 2011 as an Assistant Sergeant at Arms, and became the Chief of Staff for the Sergeant at Arms in January 2015, under Frank J Larkin.

Subsequently, after the retirement of Larkin, Stenger was nominated to join the Senate sergeant-at-arms team in 2018 by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and was confirmed unanimously.

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The former Secret Service agent oversaw security in the upper house of the Capitol from 2018 to 2021, and resigned from his post the day after the January 6 insurrection, following scathing criticism by members of Congress for his handling of security during the riots.

“The ultimate blame for yesterday lies with the unhinged criminals who broke down doors, trampled our nation’s flag, fought with law enforcement, and tried to disrupt our democracy, and with those who incited them. But this fact does not and will not preclude our addressing the shocking failures in the Capitol’s security posture and protocols,” McConnell had said the day after the riots.

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Then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, had threatened to sack Stenger if he had not resigned by the time the Democrats assumed office.

Stenger’s death comes at a time when the House Select Committee is well underway in its investigation into the insurrection at the US Capitol, having held five hearings to gather testimonies and evidence against former President Donald Trump and his role in instigating the deadly riots. A sixth hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.