The day after protesters rushed Joe Biden at a Super Tuesday rally, a top House Democrat isn’t taking any chances.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, wrote a letter Wednesday to acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, urging him to offer Secret Service protection to the candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.
“I write to urge you to immediately undertake the consultation process necessary to determine whether any Democratic candidates for President should be afforded protection by the United States Secret Service (USSS),” read the letter to Wolf.
“While the Guidelines indicate that a candidate must request protection from the Secretary and the USSS Director in order to begin the consultation and authorization process, the Guidelines also indicate that the absence of a request would not prevent the authorization of protection when warranted,” the Mississippi Democrat added.
The letter came a day after two protesters shouting, “Let dairy die!” stormed the stage in Los Angeles while Biden was giving a speech after his Super Tuesday victories. The first demonstrator was quickly intercepted and removed from the stage by a security guard but was followed by a second protester that jumped up, waved a sign, and was blocked by Biden’s wife. Biden’s senior adviser Symone Sanders rushed up to grab the second protester, who was then escorted away.
Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders needed Secret Service protection after Tuesday’s “genuinely scary” moment.
It wasn’t the first time Jill Biden intercepted a protester during one of her husband’s events. In New Hampshire last month, she crossed behind the podium and intercepted a heckler, helping security remove the individual from the crowd.
The protesters were against the dairy industry. Anti-dairy protesters also interrupted a rally for Sanders last month.
