Updated
Jan 19, 2021
House Security Chief Said Optics Played Role In Denying Early Request For National Guard
Former House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving said he believed congressional leadership would be wary of military at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Former House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving said optics played a role in his decision to decline an early request from the U.S. Capitol Police for National Guard assistance in protecting the Capitol on Jan. 6, Irving’s friend told The Washington Post.
Irving resigned his position as the top House security official on Jan. 7, a day after violence erupted at the Capitol, leaving at least five people dead. He believed congressional leaders would have balked at the suggestion of a military presence on the Capitol grounds, Bill Pickle, who served as the Senate sergeant-at-arms from 2003 to 2007, told the Post at Irving’s request.