Congressman Introduces Law To End Secret Service Protection for Felons, Including Ex-Presidents

While former President Donald Trump attends his criminal trial in Manhattan this week where he faces 34 counts of felony charges, lawyer Norm Eisen, who investigated the 2016 voter deception allegations as counsel for the first impeachment and trial of Trump, wrote The New York Times op-ed, ‘What Sentencing Could Look Like If Donald Trump Is Found Guilty.’

Eisen explained in the op-ed, if Trump receives a sentence of incarceration, “perhaps the likeliest term is six months, although he could face up to four years, particularly if Mr. Trump chooses to testify, as he said he intends to do, and the judge believes he lied on the stand.”

If Trump is convicted, Eisen added, “he will most likely have to serve any sentence starting sometime next year. He will be sequestered with his Secret Service protection; if it is less than a year, probably in Rikers Island. His protective detail will probably be his main company, since Mr. Trump will surely be isolated from other inmates for his safety.”

JUST IN: Rep. Bennie Thompson (former chair of the Jan. 6 committee) has introduced legislation that would terminate Secret Service protection for, uh, anyone sentenced to a year or more in jail. https://t.co/0EyltMuwUa pic.twitter.com/TLi2ZqXw38

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 19, 2024

Not coincidentally, this week Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) introduced legislation that would terminate United States 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.”

Thompson, who was a chair of the House Select Committee on the January 6 attack on the Capitol, said the proposed measure, the “DISGRACED Former Protectees Act,” would alleviate a conflict and avoid an overlap between Secret Service and prison officials who are tasked with the protection of inmates.