Paul D. Irving

Paul Douglas Irving (born August 1957) is an American 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.[1] He resigned following the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.[2][3]

Paul D. Irving
36th Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives
In office
January 17, 2012 – January 7, 2021
Preceded byWilson Livingood
Succeeded byTimothy Blodgett (acting)
Personal details
Born
Paul Douglas Irving

August 1957 (age 63)
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Spouse(s)
Jean Parkinson
​
​
(m. 1989⁠–⁠2014)​
EducationAmerican University (BA)
Whittier College (J.D.)

Career

Irving earned a bachelor's degree in justice from American University, and a J.D. degree from Whittier Law School.[4] He began his professional career briefly serving as a clerk in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Los Angeles field office in 1980,[5] before transferring to the United States Secret Service in 1983.[6]

During his career with the Secret Service, he served as a supervisory agent in the Presidential Protection Division, as Deputy Assistant Director for Congressional Affairs, and as Assistant Director for Administration.[5]

In 2003, he 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.[6]

Following his retirement from the Secret Service in 2008,[6] he 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, before becoming House Sergeant at Arms in January 2012.[7][8]

On January 6, 2021, for more than an hour during the violent storming of the Capitol, Irving and two other members of the Capitol Review Board repeatedly refused the advice of Steven Sund, then Chief of the Capitol Police, to request the assistance of the National Guard, resulting in immeasurable physical and symbolic harm to the Congress, the capitol, and a long tradition of peaceful transfer of power between U.S. Presidents.[9] [10] On January 7, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Irving would be submitting his resignation as Sergeant at Arms following the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.[11] Sund and Senate Sergeant-at-arms Michael C. Stenger also resigned.[12]

Irving was a resident of Florida at the time of his appointment as Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of Representatives.[8]

References
  1. "Sergeant at Arms | house.gov". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  2. Griffin, Kyle [@kylegriffin1] (January 7, 2021). "Nancy Pelosi says she has received a resignation notice from the House Sergeant-at-Arms" (Tweet). Retrieved January 12, 2021 – via Twitter.
  3. Cochrane, Emily (January 7, 2021). "The House sergeant-at-arms resigns and Schumer says he'll fire the Senate sergeant-at-arms if needed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  4. Crockett, Traci (May 14, 2012). "Justice Wonk Serves in Historic Role". American University. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  5. Kim, Seung Min. "New House sergeant-at-arms named". POLITICO. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  6. Dumain, Emma (January 17, 2012). "Paul Irving Sworn In as New Sergeant-at-Arms". Roll Call. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  7. "Speaker Boehner Swears In Paul D. Irving as House Sergeant at Arms-January, 16, 2012 Press Release-Speaker of the House John Boehner". Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  8. H.Res. XX — Privileged Resolution Electing the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives-The Republican Study Committee Archived 2013-02-18 at the Wayback Machine
  10. https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/15/957239755/pelosi-taps-honore-retired-military-leader-to-lead-capitol-security-review
  11. "Pelosi calls for resignation of Capitol Police chief". Washington Post. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  12. https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/15/957239755/pelosi-taps-honore-retired-military-leader-to-lead-capitol-security-review
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Wilson Livingood		 36th Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives
2012–2021		 Succeeded by
Timothy Blodgett (acting)
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