The just-agreed-upon stopgap funding bill includes a $231 million budget increase for the Secret Service.
That agency justifiably needs more personnel, and has been pressing Congress for more funding, but the impetus for getting Republicans to go along is the two assassination attempts against Trump.
But for those two would-be assassins and their assault rifles, it seems unlikely the Secret Service would get that funding. The agency has cited a shortage of agents in response to outside criticism of its coverage of candidates and campaign events.
Whether it will really help keep Trump safe is questionable, though. The Hill reports “some Republicans have raised questions over how further funding would help protect Trump in the weeks leading up to Election Day” (they seem not to care about the other candidate); read story here.
That’s because Trump’s open-air rallies and golfing outings are very difficult, if not impossible, to completely secure.
And, of course, the Secret Service won’t give credit for its budget increase to the late Thomas Crooks and the jailed-without-bond Ryan Routh, nor is it totally fair to do so even though it seems to pass the “but-for” test, because the additional funding is legitimately needed and how Congress gets there is really beside the point.
Below: Men in black conspicuously guarding an unoccupied VIP limo in this recruiting photo
