Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, has proposed the DISGRACED Act — full title, ‘Denying Infinite Security and Government Resources Allocated toward Convicted and Extremely Dishonorable Former Protectees Act’. This law would terminate Secret Service protection for individuals convicted of federal or state felonies.
The bill would only affect an individual whose crime "is punishable for a term of imprisonment of at least one year."
Under the terms of the Act, any ex-president convicted of a crime would lose the Secret Service protection granted to former officeholders since 1901. In case anyone missed the point, Thompson called out Trump specifically.
Thompson left no misunderstanding as to the bill’s intent. "Nobody should have special treatment, and that happens to include the former president."
In addition, any presidential candidates — who have had Secret Service protection since the 1968 assassination of Bobby Kennedy — convicted of a felony would also be denied protection at the taxpayers' expense.
This provision would remove the jurisdictional nightmare of an ex-president sentenced to the penitentiary being both in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (or similar state agency) and in the care of the Secret Service.
As Thompson pointed out:
"Current law may serve as an impediment to the equal administration of justice and present logistical difficulties for both the Secret Service and prison authorities at the Federal and State levels."
Adding: "This bill would remove the potential for conflicting lines of authority within prisons and allow judges to weigh the sentencing of individuals without having to factor in the logistical concerns of convicts with Secret Service protection."
The bill raises no punitive concerns, he added, saying its purpose "is to hand off inmate protection to relevant prison authorities rather than involve the Secret Service."
I suspect Thompson’s bill will not pass. However, congratulations to Bennie for highlighting the absurdity of the taxpayers funding the protection of a man who tried to mute the democratic voice of those same taxpayers.
Side note: If Trump keeps showing his contempt for the New York Court, Judge Merchan should order him locked up in the court's holding cells over the weekend— when presumably the defendants waiting for trial without bail will be back in Rikers, or wherever the authorities keep them on non-court days.