Bill Proposed By A Democrat Would Prevent Menendez And Trump From Getting Classified Information

(NationalUSNews.com) — On Friday March 29, New Jersey Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill is expected to introduce new legislation that would introduce restrictions for access to classified documents for a wide range of people. These include the president, the vice president, candidates for any federal office that generally receives classified information, as well as members of the military and employees of the Transportation Security Administration. Also included are employees of the U.S. Postal Service if they have been charged with compromising U.S. national security, acting as a foreign agent, obstructing an official proceeding, or unlawfully retaining classified national defense information.

As America continues to ramp up for the 2024 election, the new legislation is considered urgent by many, because it is customary for presidential nominees to start receiving official briefings in the months preceding. The bill, known as the Guarding the United States Against Reckless Disclosures Act, or GUARD Act, would directly affect former president Trump and New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez. Both have unresolved criminal charges that would fall under the remit of the proposed new rules.

In a public statement on Thursday, March 28, Sherrill referred to her own background as a former prosecutor and a Navy veteran, stating that she had “zero tolerance” for what she calls a betrayal of public trust regarding national security. She also mentioned Trump by name and suggested that he has no right to any classified information. She said the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 election has a host of criminal charges and displays “reckless behavior,” which should disqualify him.

If the bill is approved by Congress, the GUARD Act would still allow majority votes in the House and the Senate to override it and allow access to sensitive information on a case-by-case basis. Both Trump and Menendez have pleaded not guilty to the charges that would preclude their access by the bill, but the GUARD Act does not have a requirement of conviction for the charges that would be covered by it.