Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, filed a bill to revoke Secret Service protection from convicted felons sentenced to prison as former President Donald Trump faced numerous felony prosecutions.
Although Thompson condemned the assassination attempt Saturday evening on Trump, he didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he still supports the bill. The legislation would deny Secret Service protection to Trump if, in a pending court appearance, the former president is sentenced to prison for his felony convictions in Manhattan Criminal Court.
And Thompson said a staffer who joked online about Trump’s brush with death “is no longer in my employment.”
On April 19, Thompson filed HR 8081, what he calls the “Denying Infinite Security and Government Resources Allocated Toward Convicted and Extremely Dishonorable Former Protectees Act.”
Thompson’s legislation would “automatically” terminate Secret Service protection for those who have been sentenced to prison following conviction for a federal or state felony. The bill’s text and Thompson’s public statement upon filing it suggest he had Trump specifically 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,” Thompson said in a press release about the legislation.
“It is regrettable that it has come to this, but this previously unthought-of scenario could become our reality,” the Mississippi Democrat added. “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.”
On May 30, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records with intent to conceal another crime. Judge Juan Merchan initially set a sentencing date for July 11, but delayed sentencing and then the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. United States further complicated the issue.
HR 8081 has yet to make it out of the House Judiciary Committee. Even if it had, Thompson’s bill would not yet have stripped Trump of Secret Service protection since it has yet to pass both chambers of Congress and been signed by President Joe Biden.
Even so, the bill has drawn more scrutiny after a gunman shot and wounded the former president and killed at least one rallygoer about 6:15 p.m. Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Thompson responded to the shooting with an unequivocal condemnation.
“There is no room in American democracy for political violence,” he said on X. “I am grateful for law enforcement’s fast response to this incident.”
“I am glad the former president is safe, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved,” Thompson added.
However, it seems one of Thompson’s employees didn’t share the congressman’s relief that Trump survived.
“I don’t condone violence but please get you some shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time ooops that wasn’t me talking,” Jacqueline Marsaw, Thompson’s field director for Mississippi, posted on Facebook.
Thompson publicly stated that Marsaw is no longer employed by him.
“I was made aware of a post made by a staff member and she is no longer in my employment,” he said.
Nine House Democrats co-sponsored HR 8081. They are Troy A. Carter Sr. of Louisiana, Barbara Lee of California, Frederica Wilson (Florida), Yvette Clarke (New York), Bonnie Watson Coleman (New Jersey), Jasmine Crockett (Texas), Joyce Beatty (Ohio), and Steve Cohen (Tennessee).
None of their offices responded to The Daily Signal’s request for comment by publication time.
