Michael Stenger

2022 - 6 - 27

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Image courtesy of "Snopes.com"

Michael Stenger's Death Fuels Conspiracy Theories (Snopes.com)

The cause of death of the former U.S. Senate sergeant at arms is unknown as of this writing, but that didn't stop the internet from inventing a cause.

In other words, the notion that Stenger was killed to prevent testimony is unfounded because Stenger wasn’t scheduled to provide testimony in the first place. Furthermore, Fox News has reported that Stenger was suffering from cancer. Political pundits offered guesses that ranged from documentarian filmmaker Alex Holder to former President Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. While some theorized that Stenger was scheduled to testify (and that he was murdered in order to prevent his testimony), it has since been reported that Cassidy Hutchinson, a top aide to Meadows, was the person scheduled to provide testimony to the committee. When this news broke, there was little information available about the cause of Stenger’s death. The rumor that Stenger was shot and killed appears to be the result of some social media users conflating Stenger’s death in June 2022 with the 2013 death of a different Michael Stenger. In fact, the text in the above-displayed tweet is taken practically verbatim from a case report dealing with that earlier murder. “As the cause of Stenger’s death was initially unknown, some social media users set about to invent one.” Some users claimed that Stenger had been shot and killed by a person driving by in a car: In sum, an official cause of Stenger’s cause of death is still unknown, but there have not been any credible reports to indicate that his death involved foul play. While an official cause of death is still unknown, Fox News has since reported that Stenger was suffering from cancer (though Snopes has not, as yet, independently confirmed that this is true). In the absence of this information, coupled with the timing of Stenger’s death (news broke about Stenger’s death shortly after the committee investigating the Capitol attack announced a surprise hearing), many people on social media began to speculate about the circumstances surrounding Stenger’s passing. A few hours before news broke about Stenger’s death, the Jan. 6 committee announced that it was holding a surprise hearing to receive new witness testimony. The cause of death of the former U.S. Senate sergeant at arms is unknown as of this writing, but that didn't stop the internet from inventing a cause. In June 2022, Politico reporter Katherine Tully-McManus and Fox News reporter Chad Pegram reported that 71-year-old Michael Stenger, who served as the U.S. Senate sergeant at arms from April 2018 until the day after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, had passed away.

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Image courtesy of "Newsweek"

Michael Stenger's Death Before Jan. 6 Hearing Sparks Conspiracy ... (Newsweek)

Online users falsely claim the former Senate sergeant-at-arms was shot dead before he was due to testify to January 6 panel.

"Tons of conspiracy theories about recently deceased Senate Sergeant at Arms on January 6th, Michael Stenger," Rothschild tweeted. What was Michael going to talk about at the J6 committee meeting tomorrow? Another QAnon account with more than 68,000 followers said: "Do you believe in coincidences??? First Amendment rights should always be considered in conjunction with professional investigations." McManus tweeted: "Former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger died this morning. Is that what they didn't want out?

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Image courtesy of "The Independent"

Michael Stenger: Everything we know about the late former Senate ... (The Independent)

Upper chamber's sergeant-at-arms resigned a day after the Capitol riot after being heavily criticised.

Start your Independent Premium subscription today. By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. First Amendment rights should always be considered in conjunction with professional investigations.”

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Image courtesy of "New York Post"

Michael Stenger, Senate security chief on Jan. 6, dies before hearing (New York Post)

Michael Stenger, who resigned a day after pro-Trump rioters easily stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, died Monday morning.

“There is an opportunity to learn lessons from the events of January 6th,” Stenger said. “But this fact does not and will not preclude our addressing the shocking failures in the Capitol’s security posture and protocols.” Instead, Sund had “informal conversations” with Stenger on the possible need for National Guard troops. The committee said last week no more hearings would be held until July. He was later appointed to the post in 2018. The Marine Corps veteran, 71, spent 35 years in the Secret Service before joining the Senate sergeant-at-arms team in 2011.

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Image courtesy of "NTD"

Former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger, in Charge of ... (NTD)

Michael Stenger, the former U.S. Senate sergeant-at-arms who was in charge of Senate security during the breach of ...

The other member of the board is Capitol Architect J. Brett Blanton. Stenger served as the 41st sergeant-at-arms of the U.S. Senate. Stenger succeeded Frank Larkin as Senate sergeant-at-arms. National Guard forces did not arrive at the Capitol until after 5:30 p.m. “There is an opportunity to learn lessons from the events of January 6th,” he testified. The sergeant-at-arms is the chief law enforcement, protocol, and executive officer for the U.S. Senate. The sergeant-at-arms is responsible for security in the Capitol and all Senate buildings and serves as Senate doorkeeper.

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Image courtesy of "Daily Mail"

Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger who was in charge of ... (Daily Mail)

Stenger, who resigned the day after the January 6 insurrection, amid criticism of his handling of the riot, warned in February 2021 that the role of ...

His sudden death on Monday came the same day an unexpected additional hearing of the committee investigating the riot was announced The pair are watched over by police - Chad Pergram on Twitter: "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." He worked on protective details before taking leadership roles - first as an assistant director for the Office of Investigations, and then in the Office of Protective Research. Michael Stenger, 71, was the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate on the day of the attempted insurrection. Cassidy Hutchinson is seen speaking to the January 6 Committee. On Tuesday she will testify in public in a surprise hearing Michael Stenger, 71, (pictured) who was Sergeant at Arms of the Senate during the Capitol riot, died on Monday His sudden death on Monday came the same day an unexpected additional hearing of the committee investigating the riot was announced. The man in charge of protecting the Senate during the Capitol riot has died just a day before the Committee investigating the attack was set to reveal new evidence in a surprise session. The committee is set to hear from Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to Donald Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows, on Tuesday. - He was in charge of securing the Capitol on January 6 and resigned after attack - The January 6 Committee will hear from an aide to Trump's chief of staff Tuesday

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Image courtesy of "NBC News"

Former Senate security chief dies, death not considered suspicious (NBC News)

Michael Stenger, the former Senate sergeant-at-arms who oversaw Senate security during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, was found dead on Monday morning, ...

Stenger spent much of his career working for the U.S. Secret Service before joining the Senate as an assistant sergeant-at-arms in 2011. Stenger, who was nominated as sergeant-at-arms in 2018, resigned the day after the Capitol riot after facing backlash from lawmakers over his handling of security on the 6th. In the wake of Jan. 6, Stenger, as well as former House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving and former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, came under fire for security failures at the Capitol. Despite would-be rioters openly planning online to try to occupy the building in the weeks leading up to the attack, officials blamed a lack of intelligence.

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Image courtesy of "Fox News"

Michael Stenger, Senate sergeant-at-arms on Jan. 6, dead at 71 (Fox News)

Michael Stenger, the sergeant-at-arms for the United States Senate at the time of the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, died on Monday, ...

No officials cause of death was immediately released. Michael Stenger, the Senate's sergeant-at-arms at the time of the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, died on Monday, officials said. Cause of death for Michael Stenger, 41st sergeant-at-arms for the U.S. Senate, not yet released

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