Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the Democrat who led the now-defunct January 6 Committee, announced legislation last week that could disqualify former President Donald Trump from keeping Secret Service protection.
The bill, which comes as Trump faces multiple criminal cases as he runs for another term in the White House, does not mention the former president by name. However, Thompson, who is the top-ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, released a “fact sheet” that says Trump would be affected if the proposal passes and he is convicted of a felony.
“Unfortunately, current law doesn’t anticipate how Secret Service protection would impact the felony prison sentence of a protectee — even a former President. It is regrettable that it has come to this, but this previously unthought-of scenario could become our reality,” Thompson said.
“Therefore, it is necessary for us to be prepared and update the law so the American people can be assured that protective status does not translate into special treatment — and that those who are sentenced to prison will indeed serve the time required of them,” he added.
Trump is facing dozens of felony charges in federal and state courts that stem from election matters and his handling of classified documents while out of office. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts and claims prosecutors and others are waging a “witch hunt” against him in an effort to boost his 2024 rival, President Joe Biden.
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Should Thompson’s bill get approved — a long shot considering Republicans control the House and largely back Trump — it would amend a section of the U.S. Code to “terminate” Secret Service protection for “any person upon sentencing following conviction for a Federal or State offense that is punishable for a term of imprisonment of at least one year.”
The bill is called the “Denying Infinite Security and Government Resources Allocated toward Convicted and Extremely Dishonorable Former Protectees Act,” or the “DISGRACED Former Protectees Act” for short, and Thompson’s office said it several co-sponsors among fellow Democrats.
Under Thompson’s leadership, the January 6 Committee recommended the Department of Justice charge Trump over the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6, 2021. Trump chastised the January 6 panel as being the “Unselect Committee of political hacks.” In March, Trump said former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and other members of the committee should be jailed.
