These presidential candidates were attacked before Trump, and their lives are saved by the thick documents in their pockets. How much security do they have?

Donald Trump is under attack again in the run-up to the presidential election in November. About two months ago, Trump was attacked and shot in the ear. Although Trump was safe in this attack, his past record shows that threats against candidates in the election have definitely increased.

The United States has a long history of political assassinations. Not only have presidents been attacked, but candidates running for the presidency have also been attacked. These attacks were not intended to intimidate, but to kill.

Former President Kennedy’s brother was murdered

In 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was the Democratic candidate. He was the brother of former President John F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated five years earlier. After that, Kennedy’s popularity began to rise. He was a senator from New York and was forced to run in the election due to pressure from within the party. Five years later, Kennedy agreed, but was assassinated during the campaign.

He was in his hotel in Los Angeles when a man named Sirhan Sirhan opened fire on him. Five other people were also injured in the attack. The culprit was caught red-handed.

Bullet Paralysis

George Corley Wallace, who served four terms as governor of Alabama, was fatally attacked during his Democratic presidential campaign. He was paralyzed from the waist down in the shooting. The killer, Arthur Bremer, admitted that he was troubled by Wallace’s racist comments.

In fact, the former governor had been talking about providing separate schools, hospitals, and hotels for black communities. Because of this, white supremacists were happy with him, and more people were quite angry. After the attack, he could never return to politics.

The thick paper bag in my pocket saved my life

In October 1912, Theodore Roosevelt was the Republican presidential candidate when he was attacked. He had served as president twice before. Roosevelt was also attacked during a rally. The bullet was aimed at the chest, but because of the metal box and thick stack of documents in his pocket, the bullet could not enter inside, and Roosevelt was saved.

When the attacker, John Schlenk, was arrested, he was found to be mentally unbalanced, and instead of being severely punished, he was sent to a mental hospital.

What’s wrong with Trump?

Donald Trump was also attacked during his campaign in July, and the bullet missed his ear. Now, this is the second attempt to win the gold medal. Currently, the FBI is investigating the case. However, the responsibility for Trump’s security does not lie with the FBI, but with the Secret Service. This agency is responsible for the security of all presidential candidates. Currently, the Secret Service has many tasks. In addition to the security of the president and vice president, this also includes keeping an eye on economic scams in the United States.

What is the history of the Secret Service?

The United States Secret Service was established in 1865 as a branch of the Treasury Department. In the early days, its job was to prevent the counterfeiting of the US dollar. Counterfeit money was produced in large quantities at the time. Many reports even claimed that the Tillie currency circulating in the market during the Civil War was counterfeit. In 1901, then-President William McKinley was assassinated in New York. After that, the White House took action and decided that while stopping the circulation of counterfeit money, the Secret Service would also take on the responsibility of protecting the president.

Who else does it protect?

Over time, the scope of the Secret Service’s work has expanded. In the 1950s, the Former Presidents Act was passed, which provides lifetime protection for former presidents and their spouses, except if the spouse remarries. It also provides security for the children of former presidents under the age of 15. But sometimes, if the president himself requests such security for some reason, or receives such threats, the security is extended for a longer period of time.

Great candidate safety

Trump gets security not just because he is a former president, but there is another reason. The Secret Service starts providing security to the strongest contenders for the presidency and vice presidency 120 days before the election. This is when leaders hold the most rallies. They also meet directly with people. In this case, security is very important.

Claimants are protected under Section 3056 of the United States Code. Not all those running for president are considered major candidates, but the Secretary of Homeland Security keeps an eye on who has the best chance of getting the office. Meanwhile, minor party candidates are not protected. It is believed that they participate in elections only to collect votes.

What powers do agents have?

They have the power to issue arrest warrants, but can also make arrests without a warrant. A total of 3,020 agents have guns. The special forces have a total of 1,300 division-level officers and more than 2,000 technical and support personnel.