Paul D. Irving
{{Short description|American law enforcement officer (born 1957)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Paul D. Irving official photo.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2012
| office = 36th Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives
| leader = John Boehner
Paul Ryan
Nancy Pelosi
| term_start = January 17, 2012
| term_end = January 7, 2021
| predecessor = Wilson Livingood
| successor = Timothy Blodgett (acting)
| birth_name = Paul Douglas Irving
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1957|8}}
| birth_place = Tampa, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = {{marriage|Jean Parkinson|1989|2014}}
| education = American University (BA)
Whittier Law School (JD)
}}
Paul Douglas Irving (born August 1957) is an American former law enforcement officer who served as the Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives from January 17, 2012, until January 7, 2021, succeeding Wilson Livingood in that post.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Sergeant at Arms {{!}} house.gov|url=https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/officers-and-organizations/sergeant-at-arms|access-date=2020-10-19|website=United States House of Representatives}} He resigned due to his inability to fulfill his duty during the January 6 United States Capitol attack.{{cite tweet |last=Griffin |first=Kyle |user=kylegriffin1 |number=1347264407777132545 |date=2021-01-07 |title=Nancy Pelosi says she has received a resignation notice from the House Sergeant-at-Arms. |language=en |access-date=2021-01-12}}{{Cite news|last=Cochrane|first=Emily|date=2021-01-07|title=The House sergeant-at-arms resigns and Schumer says he'll fire the Senate sergeant-at-arms if needed.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/us/politics/the-house-sergeant-at-arms-resigns-and-schumer-says-hell-fire-the-senate-sergeant-at-arms-if-needed.html|access-date=2021-01-07|issn=0362-4331}}
Early life and education
Irving was born in Tampa, Florida, in 1957.{{Cite web|url=https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/I/IRVING,-Paul/|title=IRVING, Paul | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives|website=history.house.gov}}
In 1979, Irving earned a bachelor's degree in justice from American University. In 1982, he earned a J.D. degree from Whittier Law School.{{Cite web|last=Crockett|first=Traci|date=May 14, 2012|title=Justice Wonk Serves in Historic Role|url=https://www.american.edu/alumni/success/paul-irving.cfm|access-date=2020-10-19|website=American University|language=en}}
Career
From 1980 to 1983, Irving served as a clerk in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Los Angeles field office.{{Cite web|last=Kim|first=Seung Min|title=New House sergeant-at-arms named|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/12/new-house-sergeant-at-arms-named-070297|access-date=2020-10-19|website=POLITICO|date=December 12, 2011 |language=en}}
In 1983, Irving joined the United States Secret Service,{{Cite web|last=Dumain|first=Emma|date=January 17, 2012|title=Paul Irving Sworn In as New Sergeant-at-Arms|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2012/01/17/paul-irving-sworn-in-as-new-sergeant-at-arms/|access-date=2020-10-19|website=Roll Call|language=en}} where he served as a supervisory agent in the Presidential Protection Division, as Deputy Assistant Director for Congressional Affairs, and as Assistant Director for Administration.
In 2003, Irving was assigned to the Executive Office of the President at the White House during the Secret Service's transition to the United States Department of Homeland Security. Irving retired from the Secret Service in 2008.
Following his retirement from the Secret Service, Irving became president and managing partner of his family's real estate investment firm, and subsequently joined Command Consulting Group, an international security and intelligence consulting firm, where he was a senior security consultant in the firm's Washington, D.C. headquarters, and managing director of the firm's office in Miami, Florida.{{Cite web |url=http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-boehner-swears-paul-d-irving-house-sergeant-arms |title=Speaker Boehner Swears In Paul D. Irving as House Sergeant at Arms-January, 16, 2012 Press Release-Speaker of the House John Boehner |access-date=2014-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324001449/http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-boehner-swears-paul-d-irving-house-sergeant-arms |archive-date=2014-03-24 |url-status=dead }}[http://rsc.scalise.house.gov/uploadedfiles/lb_011712_h.res.xx.pdf H.Res. XX ā Privileged Resolution Electing the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives-The Republican Study Committee] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218142533/http://rsc.scalise.house.gov/uploadedfiles/lb_011712_h.res.xx.pdf|date=2013-02-18}}
On January 17, 2012, Irving was named the House Sergeant at Arms. Irving rose to prominence after the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
= Responding to the 2021 Capitol attack =
{{Broader|Law enforcement response to the January 6 United States Capitol attack}}
On January 4, Capitol Police chief Steven Sund requested additional D.C. National Guard support from Irving and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael C. Stenger.{{Cite web |last=WALSH |first=DEIRDRE |date=January 15, 2021 |title=Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund Defends Agency's Role In Jan. 6 Attack |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/15/957239755/pelosi-taps-honore-retired-military-leader-to-lead-capitol-security-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115213737/https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/15/957239755/pelosi-taps-honore-retired-military-leader-to-lead-capitol-security-review |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |access-date=January 16, 2021 |website=NPR}}{{Cite web |last=Beaumont |first=Peter |date=January 11, 2021 |title=Ex-head of Capitol police: officials reluctant to call in national guard |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/11/head-capitol-police-steven-sund-mob-assault-recounts-security-failings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113193433/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/11/head-capitol-police-steven-sund-mob-assault-recounts-security-failings |archive-date=January 13, 2021 |access-date=January 12, 2021 |website=The Guardian}} That request was denied. Sund claims Irving's refusal cited concerns about "optics", though Irving disputes this claim.{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sund-riot-national-guard/2021/01/10/fc2ce7d4-5384-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html| title = Outgoing Capitol Police chief: House, Senate security officials hamstrung efforts to call in National Guard - The Washington Post| newspaper = The Washington Post}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-congress-security-idINKBN2AN0ZA|title=U.S. Senate begins review of security failings ahead of deadly Capitol riot|first=Susan|last=Cornwell|newspaper=Reuters |date=February 23, 2021|via=www.reuters.com}}
On January 6 at around 1:00 p.m., hundreds of Trump supporters clashed with officers and pushed through barriers along the perimeter of the Capitol.{{Cite news |last1=Barrett |first1=Ted |last2=Raju |first2=Manu |last3=Nickeas |first3=Peter |date=January 6, 2021 |title=Pro-Trump mob storms US Capitol as armed standoff takes place outside House chamber |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/06/politics/us-capitol-lockdown/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106211203/https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/06/politics/us-capitol-lockdown/index.html |archive-date=January 6, 2021}}{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Jessica |date=January 8, 2021 |title=Did Trump Watch Capitol Riots From a Private Party Nearby? |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/capitol-riots-private-party/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210110040907/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/capitol-riots-private-party/ |archive-date=January 10, 2021 |access-date=January 9, 2021 |website=Snopes}} The crowd swept past barriers and officers, with some members of the mob spraying officers with chemical agents or hitting them with lead pipes.{{Cite news |last1=Paybarah |first1=Azi |last2=Lewis |first2=Brent |date=January 7, 2021 |title=Stunning Images as a Mob Storms the U.S. Capitol |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/trump-riot-dc-capitol-photos.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108020712/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/trump-riot-dc-capitol-photos.html |archive-date=January 8, 2021}}{{Cite news |last1=Greenberg |first1=Jon |last2=Kim |first2=Noah Y. |date=January 8, 2021 |title=Black Lives Matter protests and the Capitol assault: Comparing the police response |work=PolitiFact |url=https://www.politifact.com/article/2021/jan/08/black-lives-matter-protests-and-capitol-assault-co/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109014952/https://www.politifact.com/article/2021/jan/08/black-lives-matter-protests-and-capitol-assault-co/ |archive-date=January 9, 2021}} Representative Zoe Lofgren (DāCA), aware that rioters had reached the Capitol steps, was unable to reach Capitol police chief Steven Sund by phone; Irving told Lofgren the doors to the Capitol were locked and "nobody can get in".{{Cite news |last1=Demirjian |first1=Karoun |last2=Leonnig |first2=Carol D. |last3=Kane |first3=Paul |last4=Davis |first4=Aaron C. |date=January 9, 2021 |title=Inside the Capitol siege: How barricaded lawmakers and aides sounded urgent pleas for help as police lost control |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-capitol-siege/2021/01/09/e3ad3274-5283-11eb-bda4-615aaefd0555_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110032733/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-capitol-siege/2021/01/09/e3ad3274-5283-11eb-bda4-615aaefd0555_story.html |archive-date=January 10, 2021}}
At 1:09, Sund called Irving and Stenger and asked them for an emergency declaration required to call in the D.C. National Guard; they both told Sund they would "run it up the chain". Irving called back with formal approval an hour later.{{Cite news |last1=Leonnig |first1=Carol D. |last2=Davis |first2=Aaron C. |last3=Hermann |first3=Peter |last4=Demirjian |first4=Karoun |date=January 10, 2021 |title=Outgoing Capitol Police chief: House, Senate security officials hamstrung efforts to call in National Guard |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sund-riot-national-guard/2021/01/10/fc2ce7d4-5384-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113193359/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sund-riot-national-guard/2021/01/10/fc2ce7d4-5384-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html |archive-date=January 13, 2021}} Irving would later deny the 1:09 p.m. conversation took place, though the call was substantiated by phone records.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/capitol-police-chief-yogananda-pittman-proves-pleas-to-house-sergeant-at-arms-paul-irving-were-ignored|title=Phone Records Prove House Sergeant-at-Arms DID Ignore Pleas for Backup|first=Pilar|last=Melendez|newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=February 25, 2021|via=www.thedailybeast.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/senate-oversight-capitol-jan-6-stenger-sund-5e01101c-a896-48a5-9f89-d4e4808039b5.html|title=Former House sergeant at arms denies delay in approving National Guard during riot|first=Ursula|last=Perano|website=Axios|date=February 23, 2021 }}
On January 7, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Irving would be submitting his resignation as Sergeant at Arms.{{Cite news|title=Pelosi calls for resignation of Capitol Police chief|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/pelosi-calls-for-resignation-of-capitol-police-chief/2021/01/07/78020ef1-f520-4a86-b906-e2926ee9aedf_video.html|access-date=2021-01-07|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en}} Sund and Stenger also resigned from their posts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/15/957239755/pelosi-taps-honore-retired-military-leader-to-lead-capitol-security-review|title=Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund Defends Agency's Role In Jan. 6 Attack|first=Steven|last=Sund|website=NPR.org}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{C-SPAN|1023493}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Wilson Livingood}}
{{s-ttl|order=36th|title=Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives|years=2012ā2021}}
{{s-aft|after=Timothy Blodgett
Acting}}
{{s-end}}
{{US House Sergeants at Arms}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irving, Paul D.}}
Category:Sergeants at Arms of the United States House of Representatives
Category:United States Secret Service agents
Category:Law enforcement officials from Washington, D.C.
Category:January 6 United States Capitol attack
Category:American University School of Public Affairs alumni
Category:Whittier Law School alumni
Category:Law enforcement officials from Los Angeles
Category:Law enforcement officials from Miami
Category:People from Tampa, Florida