Michael Stenger, the man blamed for failing to prevent Capitol insurrection, found dead at home

Michael Stenger may have been a scapegoat for the series of failings that saw Trump supporters violently try to up-end democracy. This week those events may have claimed his life.

OBITUARY

Michael Stenger

Security chief. Born July 11, 1950, New Jersey; died June 27, Virginia, aged 71.

The US Capitol Police force has 2250 staff and an annual budget of $750m. On the day last year when president Donald Trump fired up the mob that violently attacked congress in an effort to overturn the world’s most prominent democracy, up to 1400 Capitol Police officers were on duty. They knew 30,000 angry Trump fans assembling nearby were not some disorganised rabble. It was far from spontaneous.

Indeed, police had intelligence that at least two far-right groups of extremists – Proud Boys and Oath Keepers – were there among others armed and planning to prevent the transfer of power following Trump’s 2020 election loss.

A few weeks before, a related militia of bigoted neo-fascists had planned to kidnap the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, a mother of two, and put her on “trial” for treason ahead of the Nov­ember 3 election. A few months before, gun-toting lockdown protester “patriots” had attacked the Michigan State Capitol and reportedly were temperature-tested for Covid by police before being allowed into the building.

A Congress staffer holds his hands up while Capitol Police Swat team check everyone in the room as they secure the floor of Trump suporters in Washington, DC on January 6.

Surely, the Confederate flag being unfurled outside – and soon to be waved inside – the US Capitol on January 6 last year was indication enough of the character of these people. The flag represents white supremacy and segregation. Its designer, William Porcher Miles, called slavery a “divine institution”. To him and his followers – then and now – liberty was “acquired privilege”.

The extraordinary attack began at 1.12pm, two minutes after Trump’s address. It lasted 186 minutes, during which time four protesters died. The following day a Capitol Police officer who bravely took on the rioters died of his injuries. Four colleagues have taken their lives since.

This week those events may have claimed a 10th life. Michael Stenger, the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms, and in charge of its security that day, was found dead at home on Monday, hours before a former White House aide gave explosive testimony to the house select committee investigating the events of that day. She described a furious Trump demanding his driver return him to the Capitol and grabbing the steering wheel of the car, and even grabbing for the driver’s throat.

Stenger and his colleagues came under fire after the most serious attack on the Capitol since the British overran it during the War of 1812. Picture: Getty Images

Stenger, House of Representatives sergeant-at-arms Paul Irving and Capitol Police chief Steven Sund came under acute criticism following the deadly insurrection. The three of them resigned on January 7 last year.

Stenger attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, where he completed a bachelor of arts alongside Peggy Noonan, who would go on to be speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, advise the makers of the television drama The West Wing and become a powerful voice in The Wall Street Journal.

Stenger married Janet, moved to Falls Church in Virginia, and had two sons. He was a captain in the US Marine Corps during the Vietnam years, then joined the US Secret Service, where he remained for 35 years and rose to be assistant director. He took on the role of sergeant-at-arms in April 2018.

He and his colleagues came under fire after the most serious attack on the Capitol since the British overran it during the War of 1812. There was a sacrificial lamb then, too: house clerk Patrick Magruder, who was away that day, resigned after being criticised for the lack of security.

It was not simply a matter for Stenger or Irving to call in the National Guard on the day of the riot. That required the agreement of the Capitol Police Board – they were two of its four members – but it was unclear if this had to be unanimous. And things were moving quickly. A report found the Capitol Police incident command system was lacking in training for such an assault, breaking down and leaving officers confused and uncertain how to react and with what force, all of which is obvious from the vision of the frenzied scenes. Some police were said to be sympathetic to the rioters, even assist­ing them, and are under investiga­tion.

Trump supporters protest outside the US Capitol on January 6.

In the confusion of the historic attack, with rioters chanting “Hang Mike Pence” and with the vice-president’s boss urging them on while Pence remained in the building, it is easy to see why the Capitol Police lost control. At least they were able to evacuate the members, include the possibly doomed Pence who was there with his wife and daughter but was last to leave, not wishing to hand victory to protesters.

But there was one man who could have stopped it all. Not Stenger. Not Irving. Not Pence, although he offered to try. The man who could have was in his car headed back to the Oval Office.