WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, who will become majority leader on Jan. 20, said Thursday that he intends to fire the Senate’s chief law enforcement officer following Wednesday’s bloody pandemonium on Capitol Hill.
“If Senate Sergeant at Arms [Michael C.] Stenger hasn’t vacated the position by then, I will fire him as soon as Democrats have a majority in the Senate,” said Schumer, D-N.Y.
In addition to other duties, the sergeant-at-arms oversees the Capitol Police, along with the House sergeant-at-arms. According to the U.S. Senate website, Stenger was sworn into his position on April 16, 2018. He previously had served as assistant sergeant-at-arms.
In other developments Thursday related to Wednesday’s security lapses, Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., praised “those front-line U.S. Capitol Police officers who stood bravely in harm’s way during yesterday’s failed insurrection.”
But McConnell went on to add: “With that said, yesterday represented a massive failure of institutions, protocols, and planning that are supposed to protect the first branch of our federal government. A painstaking investigation and thorough review must now take place and significant changes must follow. Initial bipartisan discussions have already begun among committees of oversight and Congressional Leadership.”
“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.”
