CO Democratic governor demands Secret Service protection for RFK Jr.

The horrific assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday has put a harsh spotlight on the competence of the U.S. Secret Service and the protection offered – or withheld – from candidates seeking the highest office in the land.

After repeated denials of requests from independent hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose personal pleas for protection have gone unheeded by the Biden administration, one top Democrat is speaking out on his behalf, as Fox News reports.

Horror in Pennsylvania leads to governor's demand

The attempt on Trump's life, which occurred near the start of a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has drawn attention to the dangers that face high-profile political candidates of all stripes, particularly during a time of heated division among the populace.

With questions now swirling about whether the protection provided to Trump was sufficient to the threat level he faces daily, some are also looking to ensure that other presidential candidates have necessary safeguards in place as they make their case to the American people.

Independent candidate RFK Jr, whose personal experiences with assassination extend to the public killings of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his own father, then-presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, has thus far been denied Secret Service protection, despite demonstrable threats to his safety.

According to Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, such a scenario is unacceptable, particularly in light of Saturday's events.

“I encourage [President Biden] to immediately provide secret service protection for [RFK, Jr.],” Polis said on X.

Repeated administration denials, revealed

The Kennedy campaign, seen by some Biden supporters as a real threat to the incumbent's re-election bid, has been denied Secret Service protection on a number of occasions, including this past April, as USA Today reported at the time.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose agency oversees the Secret Service, again denied Kennedy's request, saying that he believed it unwarranted in light of his own consultations with an advisory group involving congressional leaders and other officials.

Aaron Siri, an attorney for Kennedy declared the repeated denials “capricious, an abuse of discretion, and clearly politically motivated.”

Siri accused Mayorkas of “ignoring the real risks” to Kennedy, which he said included incidents in which armed individuals appeared at one of his client's rallies.

Perhaps the deadly scene that unfolded in Pennsylvania over the weekend -- and pleas from fellow Democrats such as Polis -- will convince Mayorkas to liberalize his criteria for extending protection to a candidate who may well be in harm's way, but as of now, there has been no indication that a policy change is forthcoming.