NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 21: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sits with his wife Melania Trump while appearing at an NBC Town Hall at the Today Show on April 21, 2016 in New York City. The GOP front runner appeared with his wife and family and took questions from audience members (Image: Getty)
Two key House Democrats have proposed a bill to revoke a lifetime pension and other taxpayer-funded perks from former presidents who are convicted of felonies during or after office.
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York), who leads the Democrats’ campaign arm, and Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) have authored the Restoring and Enforcing Accountability of Presidents (REAP) Act. It would reform the Former Presidents Act of 1958 by taking away the $219,200 annual pension, office space and budget to pay for staff from past presidents who have been convicted of a felony. This does not include Secret Service protection.
“Breaking the law has consequences, no matter how powerful you are or were. Presidents who are convicted of a felony should not receive taxpayer-funded benefits. It’s that simple,” Maloney said in a statement. “The fact that this bill is now necessary in American brings me no joy, but we must demand accountability from those who have held our nation’s highest office.
The legislation will formally be introduced on Thursday, followed by Maloney and Jayapal gathering co-sponsors. The REAP Act does not specifically mention any former president by name. However, it is obviously directed at former President Donald Trump.
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The Senate just acquitted Trump after the House charged him with inciting the January 6 Capitol riots. The former president is also facing various criminal and civil investigations into his taxes and family business.
Just last week, the Supreme Court permitted Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. to obtain eight years of Trump’s tax returns and other financial records.
“While Congress must refuse to let Donald Trump off the hook for inciting a deadly insurrection and for committing countless other crimes during his lawless presidency,” Jayapal said. “We must also ensure that no president who is convicted of a felony receives taxpayer-funded benefits.”
“The REAP Act is an important step towards finally securing full accountability and justice in this country,” Jayapal added.
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