Rioters to Lose Welfare Checks Under New Bill
'Support Peaceful Protest Act' targets 'jobless rioters destroying our communitities'
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Rioters, looters, and violent leftist mobs could soon be stripped of their welfare checks under a new bill proposed by a Republican congressman.
The "Support Peaceful Protest Act" was introduced on Friday by Rep. Jim Banks, who represents Indiana's 3rd congressional district.
The bill seeks to strip "jobless rioters" of their federal unemployment benefits and force violent thugs to pay an order of restitution to police.
Rep. Banks says his proposal aims to act as a deterrent to put an end to the riots, looting, and vandalism that have occurred across the country in recent months.
The bill will have to pass the U.S. House and Senate before it becomes written into law.
Banks says he hopes it will protect peaceful protesters and police officers, as well as bystanders who become inadvertently caught up crowds that get hijacked by leftists.
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Further, Banks proposes that those engaging in rioting, looting, and arson should be stripped of federal benefits accessible during the COVID-19 crisis, such as the $600 per week unemployment assistance drawn from the CARES Act, according to The Daily Mail.
In an interview with WIBC, Banks says he believes a majority of rioters who intentionally disrupt protests are currently unemployed and receiving benefits.
"Due to enhanced federal benefits, taxpayers are giving wages to jobless rioters that are destroying our communities," Banks stated.
"We need to cut them off from their funding and make them feel the full financial consequences of their actions."
"Many of these people are not working," he continued.
"They have the time to show up every day at some of these violent protests like in Washington, D.C. and they're getting $600 a week of unemployment to do it, and that's got to stop."
Not only are your tax dollars directly going to #Antifa foot-soldiers via coronavirus jobless benefits, you’re being forced to help promote the illiterate arguments of their commanding officers. https://t.co/OYjDWIdyX7
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) August 29, 2020
Banks was referring to chaotic scenes that unfolded in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night, following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention at the White House.
Guests, including Senator Rand Paul, were heckled and abused as they made their way out of the event.
The Republican senator and his wife had to be protected by police officers, and he later claimed the "crazed mob" was "shouting threats to kill us."
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Meanwhile, photographers captured two of Banks' constituents - an elderly couple from Indiana - being verbally abused and intimidated by a young protester as they left the event.
The photograph caused outrage, with Banks sharing the image and tweeting to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, accusing her of not doing enough to stop bad behavior.
"Hey @SpeakerPelosi, these are my constituent. They are good people.
"If you told these mobs to stop, I have a feeling they would... "
Hey @SpeakerPelosi, these are my constituents. They are good people.
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) August 28, 2020
If you told these mobs to stop, I have a feeling they would ... https://t.co/l5qIT52XM4
Meanwhile, Banks theorized that Antifa was behind a lot of the rioting.
"Antifa thugs are descending on suffering communities, disrupting peaceful protests and leaving violence, looting, and vandalism in their wake," he stated.
"They turned Milwaukee, Seattle, and Portland into warzones, and now they’re moving the chaos to Kenosha, Wisconsin.
"Who knows which community is next?"
