Should a Former President Serve Time With No Secret Service Protection? Bennie Thompson Thinks So

By Margaret Clark | 5:51 PM on June 01, 2024

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Mississippi Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson introduced a presumptive bill in April that would remove Secret Service protection from a convicted felon serving time in prison. The bill, creatively named Denying Infinite Security and Government Resources Allocated toward Convicted and Extremely Dishonorable Former Protectees Act, or DISGRACED, undoubtedly was crafted vengefully with Donald Trump in mind.

“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. 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.”

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has voiced the opinion of many that the Trump Manhattan Trial conviction is something that happens in a “banana republic.” Perhaps in such a banana republic, one would house a former president charged with a clerical error in a cell with hardened criminals and no protection.

Trump’s guilty verdict is the kind of thing you see in banana republics.

This trial was conducted by a judge and prosecutor who hate President Trump and were out to drag his name through the mud.

Joe Biden and the Democrats are cheering this on, as they now get to call… pic.twitter.com/86ES84FWkL
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) May 31, 2024

To use Bennie Thompson’s own words, the politically motivated witch-hunt of former President Trump disgraces our country. What would bring it even more shame would be to continue to dishonor our one-time and perhaps future president in this ridiculous and barbaric way. The real losers are the American people.

The left have shown that their personal vendettas mean more to them than the honor of our country. Before there was ever a conviction, Rep. Thompson spent his time and energy crafting a way to ambush our 45th president even further by removing his protection. The left will stop at nothing, and we should be alarmed by their malice.

Trump’s team will appeal the conviction, of course. Donations to his campaign have surged astronomically. Many who did not support him before have pledged to vote for him in November. A vote for Trump is now widely seen as a vote to preserve democracy.

The left have shown their true colors. This witch-hunt and farce seems to be backfiring. Celebrities have started to walk back on their support of Biden in November. Many are wondering—who is really safe? If this can happen to Donald Trump, it can happen to anyone.

Rep. Thompson openly crafted that bill with Donald Trump in mind, but with the floodgates opened, the Democrats may regret such a move. If lawfare is the new warfare, then they are certainly not safe themselves. If the duplicity and corruption we see on the surface is only the tip of the iceberg, there may be more than one politician affected by the bill, and they might end up very unhappy with the hole they've dug.