Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday announced an all-female Senate sergeant-at-arms leadership team, after the previous sergeant-at-arms resigned as part of the fallout from the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
Karen Gibson will serve as the new Senate sergeant-at-arms, Schumer announced. A retired lieutenant general, Gibson most recently took part in a six-week effort examining security at the US Capitol after January 6 and previously worked in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
The sergeant-at-arms serves as the chief law enforcement officer in the Senate. Schumer also named Kelly Fado as deputy sergeant-at-arms and Jennifer Hemingway as chief of staff.
“Lieutenant General Karen Gibson, Kelly Fado and Jennifer Hemingway are all exceptionally qualified for this vital Senate office, which not only serves the institution but also the country,” Schumer said in a statement, also acknowledging the historic makeup of the new team. “This will also be the first time since the office was created in 1789 that the SAA leadership team will be comprised entirely of women.”
“We know they’ll be successful,” the top Senate Democrat added in a tweet.
In addition to former Senate sergeant-at-arms Michael Stenger, former House sergeant-at-arms Paul Irving resigned his position after the Capitol riot as well. Both men testified in a Senate hearing last month about the failure to prevent the insurrection.
