This article has been updated to include information about a staffer from Rep. Bennie Thompson's (D-MS) office.
Former and potentially future President Donald Trump was shot at during his rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night, an incident that could have been much worse had Trump turned his head a different way. U.S. Secret Service agents quickly sprang into action to escort him off of the stage and to safety. In light of such serious news, it's worth reminding that Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the January 6 Select Committee, just months ago introduced legislation to deny presidents who were convicted of felonies Secret Service protection. Trump was ultimately convicted of 34 charges in New York City on May 30.
Alex Pfeiffer of the MAGA Inc. PAC shared a screenshot of a press release from Thompson back in April. The press release is still up on the website for the Democratic members of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
The bill introduced on April 19 is known as the Denying Infinite Security and Government Resources Allocated toward Convicted and Extremely Dishonorable Former Protectees Act or the DISGRACED Former Protectees Act.
"This legislation would reform the U.S. Secret Service’s protective mission by automatically terminating Secret Service protection for those who have been sentenced to prison following conviction for a Federal or State felony," the press release states in part.
Leading Democrats introduced legislation intended to strip President Trump of Secret Service protection.
— Alex Pfeiffer (@__Pfeiffer) July 13, 2024
They did that at the same time as Joe Biden called President Trump a "dictator," and Nancy Pelosi said President Trump "must be stopped." pic.twitter.com/x0L5Lq93bz
Thompson's statement was full of claims about how such legislation "is regrettable" and talked about "assur[ing] the American people."
"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," he's quoted as saying.
Reps. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), and Steve Cohen (D-TN) are listed as cosponsors of the bill.
Thompson issued a post on X not long after the shooting occurred denouncing the "political violence" and expressing relief that Trump is safe. His post was ratioed with thousands of replies and hundreds of quoted reposts calling him out for introducing the bill back in April.
There is no room in American democracy for political violence. I am grateful for law enforcement’s fast response to this incident.
— Bennie G. Thompson (@BennieGThompson) July 13, 2024
I am glad the former President is safe, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved.
All of those members mentioned above, except for Crockett, spoke out against the shooting, and all were similarly met with condemnation over introducing the bill.
It's not merely Thompson's legislation that has come under scrutiny on Saturday night. As Mia highlighted in our live blog from Saturday night, Jacqueline Marsaw with Thompson's office made posts on social media justifying the assassination attempt.
The posts have since been deleted, but not before the Magnolia Tribune's Russ Latino shared screenshots.
These posts have since been deleted from Ms. Marsaw’s Facebook account.
— Russ Latino (@RussLatino) July 14, 2024
Role with Congressman Thompson. pic.twitter.com/MA5zO3Opqh
— Russ Latino (@RussLatino) July 14, 2024
On Sunday afternoon, Fox News' Chad Pergram posted that, per Fox News' Aishah Hasnie, Thompson has shared that Marsaw is no longer employed by the office.
From colleague Aishah Hasnie. Top Dem on Homeland Security Cmte Bennie Thompson on aide Jacqueline Marsaw who worked in his district office: “I was made aware of a post made by a staff member and she is no longer in my employment.”
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 14, 2024
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