According to reports, former Vice President Kamala Harris will be protected by the California Highway Patrol after losing her Secret Service protection on Thursday.
Harris, who has been a private citizen since leaving office on January 19, was granted dignitary status by California officials on Friday. According to The Los Angeles Times, the state will offer her security protection in lieu of the Secret Service.
Harris’s security protection from CHP requires approval from California Governor Gavin Newsom, but his office chose not to comment.
“Our office does not comment on security arrangements,” Izzy Gordon, a spokesman for Newsom, confirmed to The Los Angeles Times.
According to USA Today, Harris, who resides in Los Angeles, is scheduled to embark on a 15-city book tour, beginning in New York City on September 24.
Should Harris’ protection have persisted, the 107-day book tour would have necessitated prior Secret Service work.
At the request of her aides, President Joe Biden extended Harris’ protection beyond the six months that departing vice presidents are granted by the Secret Service.
Through a signed memorandum on Thursday, President Donald Trump terminated the protection as of Monday, but Harris continued to enjoy its benefits.
Additionally, after their father had extended their protection through July, the president had terminated the Secret Service protection for his adult children, Ashley and Hunter Biden.
According to The Washington Post, Hunter Biden and his Secret Service team recently visited South Africa.
According to federal law, lifetime Secret Service protection is granted only to former presidents and first ladies.
Terminating Harris’ extended protection also terminates all of the previous president’s extended protections that were in place prior to Biden’s January resignation.
