Sanders receives $1.1 million in Secret Service protection since Clinton's victory

[Cali_Democrat]

Ivan Levingston
CNBC.com

On June 7, Bernie Sanders' insurgent campaign for the Democratic party's nomination effectively ended with a defeat in the California primary at the hands of Hillary Clinton. Almost a month later, the Vermont Senator still walks around with a very visible reminder that he has not officially dropped out of the race: His Secret Service protection.

In 2008, then-Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan testified that costs reached around $37,000 to $38,000 a day to protect each presidential candidate, and that number could rise to about $44,000 as the campaign "tempo" increased.

While the Secret Service declined to comment on how much that number is today, using $40,000 per day as a conservative estimate for how much it costs to protect a presidential candidate, Sanders has cost taxpayers about $1.1 million dollars since Clinton declared victory on June 7, as of July 5.

With the Democratic National Convention scheduled to kick off in Philadelphia on July 25, that could bring the total to about $1.9 million in Secret Service protection in between Clinton's presumptive nomination and the beginning of the formal nominating process.

With the Democratic National Convention scheduled to kick off in Philadelphia on July 25, that could bring the total to about $1.9 million in Secret Service protection in between Clinton's presumptive nomination and the beginning of the formal nominating process.

Read more:

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/05/sanders-receives-11-million-in-secret-service-protection-since-clintons-victory.html

[panader0]

1. Air Force One costs tax payers $200,000 an hour.

[eastwestdem]

3. And the sky is blue. What does that have to do with anything?

Most people feel that Air Force One is a necessary thing. Most people do no agree with wasting money on unnecessary things.

[stopbush]

4. But it's not in use 24/7, as is SS protection.

Your point?

[panader0]

18. Just saying that six hours of Air Force One will cost taxpayers

more than the SS protection Bernie has received. This OP is meant to bash
Bernie.

[stopbush]

35. It only bashes Sanders in the fact that every other candidate

D or R - who has clearly lost their bid for the nomination has stepped aside, suspended their campaign and has given up their SS detail.

IMO, Sanders is no more a viable candidate at this point than is MO'M. But the SS is obliged to provide him with protection as long as he refuses to concede. Personally, I don't care if we spend $1-million protecting a viable candidate. That's the price we pay in this day and age. But I wonder what the SS would do if Lincoln Chafee announced he was getting back in the race and hoping to win the nomination at the convention. Would they be obligated to protect him as well?

The cost of running AF1 is at least in the service of the Executive Branch doing its job. You don't see the government offering AF1 as a campaign plane for any candidate, viable or not.

[Cha]

69. THank you for explaining the apples & oranges so well, stopbush!

[brooklynite]

37. So you're saying that Sanders would have refused Obama's support if he'd won the Primary?

[panader0]

41. Where did I say that?

[brooklynite]

54. If we can assume thet President Obama would have offered the same assistance to both candidates...

...why is it an issue for Clinton?

[lapucelle]

46. I heard earlier today on CNN that the Clinton campaign will be reimbursing

part of the cost, as Obama himself did in 2012 when he used Air Force for campaign travel. Because the reimbursement is prorated based on the cost of the campaign chartering a jet (rather than the actual costs involved in the use of Air Force One) there will be some cost to the taxpayer.

Trump was bellyaching about the cost on Twitter today. This reminds me of the griping we hear from the right wing when Mrs. Obama and her daughters travel for vacations.

[840high]

81. Agree. How much did the FBI investigation cost?

[liberal from boston]

56. Senator Sanders

Why do the lies about Senator Sanders continue?? Paragraph from FAIR debunks your false claim:

"Does anyone think the Secret Service is going to fire the exact number of agents assigned to Sanders the day he drops out? Does anyone think the additional vehicles and equipment needed will quickly be pawned off and the money transferred over to Johnny Taxpayer? Does anyone repeating this talking point think that if the Sanders campaign had ended one week ago the US federal government would somehow be $166,000 richer?"

http://fair.org/home/no-sanders-secret-service-detail-isnt-costing-taxpayers-38000-a-day/

[stopbush]

57. How was what I wrote a lie?

I said NOTHING about the number of agents or resources assigned to Sanders. I simply said the protection was 24/7.

[Silver_Witch]

78. Oh noooo logic....ouch - you will make them squeal....

stop please stop...ouch ouch ouch.....

[politicaljunkie41910]

86. I read the linked article, and disagree with the author's conclusion.

Yes there are fixed expenses and variable expenses within any agency. If the agents who are responsible for providing protection for candidates are not hired specifically for that task, in all likelihood, the agency does incur additional expenses than it would otherwise in the form of Overtime Pay to agents. Overtime is the most expensive kind of expense since it is usually paid at a rate of either time and a half or double-time of the normal hourly rate. So while there may not be no consequential hiring and firing to fill a void, there is consequential costs which are being incurred and in this case to feed someone's ego which has never been done to satisfy a candidate's whims before in my adult lifetime.

We were already told that candidates are seeking SS protection earlier and earlier than in past campaigns. This didn't happen normally until after the Primaries were over, until Obama ran in 2008. The SS said that he was getting so many death threats that suggested that he utilize their services earlier which meant during the Primary. They said that they also offered it to the other candidates. But back then, there were fewer Primary Candidates. This year, the GOP had 17 primary candidates and if one go it, everyone got it, and who could blame them. But lets not fool ourselves into thinking that this doesn't mean that there are not additional costs incurred as a result. And if that calculates out to $38,000 a day by SOMEONE's estimate, it's the best we've got and it's silly to discount it simply because we don't know exactly how it's computed. If it's being incurred unnecessarily to feed someone's ego when it's not necessary, than it too much regardless of how it's computed.

[pantsonfire]

91. There is still sanity here, I thought it gone. n/t

[fleabiscuit]

52. Non sequitur. n/t

[HassleCat]

2. Um, no.

I'm sure they spend only a fraction of the time and effort on Sanders they spend on Clinton. Why would anybody be interested in attacking Sanders now? They're probably spending $40k each on Clinton and Trump, and maybe $10k to $15k on Sanders.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. That is incorrect

From the article:

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan testified that costs reached around $37,000 to $38,000 a day to protect each presidential candidate

[HassleCat]

7. He's lying.

There is no way they spend as much n Sanders as they do on Clinton. Costs "reach" $37k a day. Sure, and on some days, they don't "reach" quite that far. Bureaucratic spin, which is the same as lying.

[Cali_Democrat]

8. What evidence do you have that he's lying? nt

[HassleCat]

19. He's a spokes person for a government agency. (eom)

[msongs]

45. lol bernie sanders is a spokesperson for a government agency (the senate) nt

[hollysmom]

55. perhaps misstating is a better word.

look,. they pay the secret service annually whether they have an assignment or not, they are employees, they don't hire and train people temporarily, so while it might cost that much to have the SS there, they would be some where doing something even possibly protecting the Obama dogs. Cleaning up file cabinets. Something.
it is also a misstatement to say that all candidates gave up before the convention when they numerically lost. that is just not true. HIllary herself waited several days negotiating for benefits with Obama before turning and supporting him. i.e. help her pay off campaign debts. It is not as simple as this article portrays it.

ETA - I see this is CNBC - no more needs to be said.

[George Eliot]

101. Thanks for objectivity. Media again. Anything to rile up voters.

[Lance Bass esquire]

61. Yes But HRC is the NOMINEE...n/t

[Beacool]

74. Aside from being a former first lady and entitled to receive SS protection for life.

[MaggieD]

6. I wonder how many homeless people could be fed and sheltered with that?

Sad.

[HassleCat]

31. Zero.

The FBI does not feed or shelter homeless people.

[MaggieD]

33. LOL! Waste is waste

I would rather that money go to feeding people who need help rather than feeding Bernie's ego.

[HassleCat]

43. Really? Always?

Or is it just lamentable when Sanders does it? We have various public officials, travelling and junketing and hosting and toasting and all the rest. I could make a case all of it is necessary, part of legitimate government function, or I could say it would be much better spent on other things. But I won't do that because I know the money, if not wasted on parties and such, would not be spent to feed the hungry or any such thing.

[Silver_Witch]

80. The money would not go to feed the homeless...I think that was the point

of the post to which you are responding.

But keep up the anger ....it is helping me make a decision.

[Travis_0004]

83. Do you think when sanders drops out they are going to fire the agents?

The agents are likely salaried, and will move on to something else, or go do some training. The marginal cost of having them with Sanders is likely quite small.

The secret service has their 2016 budget, and they will spend every dime by year end in October.

Nobody is getting fed when sanders drops out.

[athena]

65. By that logic,

you should be getting FBI protection, too. After all, the money wasted wouldn't have gone toward feeding or sheltering the homeless, so why not just waste it freely?

[KeepItReal]

9. And will end after the convention this month when we have a nominee.

That's how the process works.

[MaggieD]

10. No it isn't "how the process works"

No other defeated republican OR democratic candidates are wasting taxpayer money on that. Just Bernie.

[Cali_Democrat]

11. Exactly. nt

[KeepItReal]

12. No other candidate has over 40% of an electorate and a party platform to influence

Eom

[Lord Magus]

15. So what?

That doesn't make him still an actual candidate for the presidency. Seeking to influence a party platform does not merit a Secret Service detail.

[silvershadow]

17. Until we have a nominee, he is certainly entitled to continue to have Secret Service

protection. Not sure what all the whining is about.

[MaggieD]

21. He is wasting taxpayer money based on ego

IMHO. Pointing that out is not whining. It's making news for a reason.

[silvershadow]

22. He is entitled to use taxpayer dollars until there is a nominee.

[MaggieD]

26. There is already a nominee

So what you are saying is that he is entitled to taxpayer dollars until he can face the fact that he lost? Seriously?

[silvershadow]

30. No there isn't. There is a presumptive nominee. He already said he was

campaigning until convention. He said that months ago. Clinton does not yet have the required number of delegates. It isn't hard to understand.

[MaggieD]

36. Come on - admit it

He is wasting tax payer dollars by insisting he keep SS protection even though he LOST.

[liberal from boston]

59. Senator Sanders

Why do the lies about Senator Sanders continue?? Secret Service is part of the budget--no monies can be transferred to homeless, etc.. Paragraph from FAIR article debunking your false claim: "Does anyone think the Secret Service is going to fire the exact number of agents assigned to Sanders the day he drops out? Does anyone think the additional vehicles and equipment needed will quickly be pawned off and the money transferred over to Johnny Taxpayer? Does anyone repeating this talking point think that if the Sanders campaign had ended one week ago the US federal government would somehow be $166,000 richer?"

BTW, Bernie pays local police time & 1/2 for protection at his rallies.


http://fair.org/home/no-sanders-secret-service-detail-isnt-costing-taxpayers-38000-a-day/

[MaggieD]

60. I see - so you found an article where Sanders supporters....

... pretend Bernie can have SS protection for life, and it's Free!!! Very much in keeping with the Sanders idea that nothing the government does actually costs anything at all (if you can just rationalize the cost away!)

[silvershadow]

96. Yawn. Get over it. Had she won outright, we wouldn't be having this conversation, but

she was unable to seal the deal. We will have our nominee after convention. I will never understand the disdain coming from those who were on team Hillary towards Bernie, but such as it is, so be it. I just hope it doesn't turn away so many voters we will need in November- like some of the ones I mentioned in OP after OP: All manner of Bernie voters who were not/are not Democrats. This won't be a cake walk, as some seem to think it will be.

[MaggieD]

98. She DID win outright and by a mile

Not sure what primary contest you were watching, but she beat him by 900 delegates or more. It was a drubbing.

[silvershadow]

99. I watched the entire mess. Your characterization is different than I would offer, but I'm

not offering one due to us being in a general election. Now is the time to put our nominee's best messages forward, to try to win ALL the votes, or as many as we can. That would include independents, greens, others, non-voters, and non-partisan voters. Grousing won't get us anywhere, and we have a short few months to get there.

[MaggieD]

100. "Grousing won't get us anywhere"

Perhaps you could send an email to Sanders and let him know that. He can't seem to accept the results of the people's votes, in which he lost by many millions and by over 900 delegates.

[George Eliot]

102. Why not focus on Clinton now - you know, the nominee?

[MaggieD]

104. Good idea - why not?

Great suggestion. So let's stop talking about not-a-Democrat, Bernie Sanders, and stop bitching about Clinton, and stop pretending Bernie won or that we should all bow down to Bernie or that he is some savior of a party he is not a member of. He lost.

[silvershadow]

106. or perhaps you should.

[stopbush]

88. By what possible path does anyone other than Hillary Clinton

win the nomination?

I'm serious. What is the path for anyone to get the nod other than Hillary?

[silvershadow]

97. That's not the standard. The standard is the number of delegates. Were she a STRONG nominee,

the wouldn't be in the position of limping into convention without having closed the deal. About 50% of us need to do EVERYTHING possible over these remaining short few months to change the discourse. We have to win all manner of independents and other Bernie voters who are NOT Democrats. I have been explaining this for months now, regardless of who the nominee is (and it appears it certainly WILL be Sec. Clinton). That is our job. We are in a General election now, at least here on DU. We best get to changing the focus. I am looking forward to how Bernie might shape the future of our party, which has clearly drifted from its' moorings over the last many decades. The prima facia evidence is this primary we just went through. If the whining doesn't stop, the surprise may be on us. This General will NOT be a cakewalk, no matter what antics are going on right now with the Republicans. We don't even know for sure WHO will be their nominee.

[MaggieD]

105. Winning by 900 delegates and almost 4 million votes is not "Strong"

WTF?

How much does a man have to win by to be considered "strong?" I assume not by much considering we are told her 24/7 that Bernie should call the tune even though he lost badly.

SMH.

[eastwestdem]

27. One of the ways a candidate shows respect for the country is to suspend once defeated,

and forfeit expensive and unnecessary federal funding.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. I never question security costs nor assume the choices should be discussed in public. It's security.

I also look skeptically at those who seek to weaken security on public figures. What is it they hope for and what is it they desire?

[MaggieD]

23. LOL!

Weaken security on public figures? What makes Bernie more special than anyone else who ran and lost?

[etherealtruth]

24. I agree completely

Although it makes me want to .... even the short fingered vulgarian needs this type of protection

[Maru Kitteh]

73. The vulgarian is actually a nominee. I think two people have already tried to kill him.

As you know, Sanders is not the nominee. As you know, Sanders will not be the nominee. This expense is not necessary for him. At all. It's a waste of money for a service that he should decline, imo, even if he refuses to concede.

[840high]

84. The OP is just stirring shit.

[silvershadow]

14. Ok. nt

[Schema Thing]

16. And my daughter gets a better future.

[MaggieD]

25. In what way? What makes Bernie any more special.....

... than the other losing candidates that he is entitled to waste taxpayer money on stuff like this?

[KingFlorez]

20. Wasting taxpayer dollars

He really needs to stop it.

[Hoyt]

28. Truthfully, that does not bother me. I think he needs/deserves protection for some time.

[NurseJackie]

29. This is completely unnecessary...

... he's not the nominee. He's not even a contender. Why are we unnecessarily spending money (regardless of the cost) for SS protection of an "also-ran"?

[NCTraveler]

32. Many of the threats going outward will soon start coming directly at him.

While he personally fomented a lot of the instability, he should still be very well protected. I hope people really are aware of the dangers of some of the people claiming they supported him. Sanders himself now even has to be concerned about them. I can fully understand him keeping protection in the months after the convention. That goes double if he decides to endorse.

[MaggieD]

38. What makes he any more special than the other losing candidates?

And what precedent is there for the loser to continue to have SS protection at taxpayer expense?

[NCTraveler]

40. If they believe it is necessary, I'm good with it.

I personally think he is currently in a vulnerable position. Some of the things I have read from a group turning on him are really ugly. That will be enhanced if he decides to endorse. I'm not talking in perpetuity, I'm talking for an additional couple of months until things cool down.

If I think Trump should be protected to the best of our ability I'm sure not going to argue about a couple of extra months for Sanders. Specially seeing what we have from his supporters.

[MaggieD]

42. I disagree - I think it's just his ego

Which seems to me to be bigger than the state of Alaska.

[hobbit709]

47. It's a good thing you're not in charge of security anywhere.

[MaggieD]

49. Spare me the drama

There is just no way to pretend he needs SS protection when no other losing candidate has ever been provided it.

[hobbit709]

50. The irony of you saying that.

[NCTraveler]

48. I don't disagree with you about his ego, though it is taking some knocks. lol.

It doesn't have anything to do with ego to me. His ego doesn't compare to the Trumpsters and I want him protected.

[auntpurl]

53. I completely agree.

There are a lot of dangerous people out there. Some of whom purport to be his most ardent supporters.

I am not fan of Bernie, but I certainly don't want to see any harm come to him.

[dlwickham]

87. let him foot the bill for his own protection then

no other senator gets a secret service detail and that's all he is at this point, just another senator

[jack_krass]

89. Absolutely ludacris. Bernie supporters are, as a group, are probably

The most rational, least violence prone people I've ever come in contact with.

[auntpurl]

92. That's not been my impression.

However, I don't actually know any Bernie supporters in real life. Only online, and people do tend to express more extreme viewpoints under the cover of anonymity.

[hobbit709]

34. Is that the best you can come up with?

[book_worm]

39. As long as he still is a candidate he gets that protection.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

44. Tsk. Tsk.

[cosmicone]

51. I wish the secret service would unilaterally decide that he is no longer viable

and drop the protection.

[Maru Kitteh]

76. I would think he could at least decline the service

even if he doesn't concede. But who knows, maybe he just likes having a fussy little parade of bother everywhere he goes.


I would hate it.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

58. hey, he's creating more middle class jobs. leave him be.

[BlueMTexpat]

63. Thread winner!

[bvf]

62. And?

[aikoaiko]

64. Ok. Sounds reasonable.

[Skid Rogue]

66. I'm sorry...

but I want to make sure Sanders is safe. His physical safety is worth more than any arguments, or talking points, or politics. It's 100% appropriate that the Secret Service should make this call.

[DemonGoddess]

70. The Secret Service is only obligated to give him

a protection detail so long as he does not concede. He already lost, and should have conceded, but I don't expect that he will. This means another few weeks of it, because once the convention is over, he will no longer have that detail assigned to him.

[Skid Rogue]

72. I get the greater point.

He should concede. I agree. However, I don't want him to pay for his stubbornness with his life.

[lancer78]

67. I have no issue from this

as Ted Kennedy received SS protection up until the 1980 convention. Even though Sanders won't win, he would and could be a major target for someone like ISIL.

[jack_krass]

68. Good. Bernie is a national treasure, and worth protecting.

[840high]

85. Kick with love for Bernie

[jalan48]

71. Great to hear. He deserves every penny of it.

[Hekate]

75. I think Bernie is secretly enjoying using the perks and sticking it to The Man. Cool.

This is not "bashing" -- personally I find it rather funny.

[Silver_Witch]

77. Oh look another bashing Bernie thread

This flame bait is really uncalled for.

This is how the primary is run. After the convention it is over.

You ONLY have to wait a few more weeks. You can do it - I know you can.

[Kelvin Mace]

79. And?

[840high]

82. Ignore.

[bigwillq]

90. Cool

I have No problem with that

[lostnfound]

93. The fact that this OP exists at DU makes me sick to my stomach

Thanks for making us all feel as welcome here as freepers. Nice job.

[kacekwl]

94. Direct your concerns to the Secret Service.

If they think he no longer needs their services they can withdraw . Let me know what the response is.

[coyote]

95. How much did Hillary's "extreme carelessness" and the FBI investigation cost us?

Just wondering.

[David__77]

103. Here are some pertinent facts.

Who receives protection?

The Secret Service DOES NOT determine who qualifies for protection, nor is the Secret Service empowered to independently initiate candidate protection.

Under 18 U.S.C.' 3056(a)(7), "[m]ajor Presidential and Vice Presidental candidates," as identified by the Secretary of Homeland Security, are eligible for Secret Service protection.

Title 18 U.S.C.' 3056(a)(7) authorizes the U.S. Secret Service to provide protection for major presidential and vice presidential candidates:

Protection is authorized by the DHS Secretary after consultation with the Congressional Advisory Committee
The Congressional Advisory Committee includes: Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, and one additional member selected by the others

Criteria have been established to assist the DHS Secretary and the advisory committee in their decision making (as of 2008). Candidates must:

Be publically announced
Have some degree of prominence as shown by opinion polls
Be actively campaigning and entered in at least 10 state primaries
Be seeking the nomination of a qualified party
Have qualified for matching funds in the amount of at least $100,000
Have received contributions totaling $10 million

Title 18 U.S.C.' 3056(a)(7) states that the U.S. Secret Service is also authroized to protect spouses of major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, as identified by the DHS Secretary, within 120 days of the general Presidential election. Some candidates have received protection earlier in the campaign pursuant to Presidential memoranda.

http://www.secretservice.gov/about/faqs/