‘No glory for hate’: Lawmaker puts forward bill blocking Trump name from so much as a ‘park bench’

California Democratic Representative Linda Sanchez has introduced a bill that would revoke a lot of the privileges that former President Donald Trump might enjoy now that he’s out of office.

“The No Glory for Hate Act” would ban the government from commemorating Mr Trump in any way. The legislation would prevent federal projects, buildings, statues, or lands from being named after Mr Trump.

“For years, Donald Trump poured gasoline on lies, encouraging racism and hatred, then lit the match on January 6th. A president who has been impeached twice does not deserve the honours bestowed on a former president. We should never glorify the hatred Donald Trump personified as President. This bill ensures that there is no glory for hate, not a building, statue, or even a park bench," Ms Sanchez said in a statement.

The 4-page bill doesn't mention Mr Trump's name but it's clearly aimed at him since it only applies to presidents who have been impeached twice by the House.

The bill also restricts Mr Trump's access to presidential benefits such as a pension, staff, office travel expenses, and a burial at Arlington National Cemetary.

Ms Sanchez started working on the bill during the Capitol riot on 6 January when she was barricaded in her office, holding on to her baseball bat that she usually used for the Congressional baseball game but at the time in anticipation that she might have to use it to defend herself.

Read more: Follow live updates on the Biden administration

“I remember getting the horrifying news that no one was coming to help us, that the National Guard had not gotten approval, while police officers were being beaten and overrun. I thought, no one who stirs up this seditionist act should ever be held to the same high standards we hold for our former presidents who served with grace. Even though Trump is no longer in office, he should still be held accountable for his actions and the taxpayers should not foot the bill for his future actions. I can’t imagine sending students in Southern California, or anywhere in America, to a school named in honour of a traitorous president," Ms Sanchez said in a statement.

The bill is co-sponsored by 13 Democrats. Ms Sanchez voted along with all 222 Democrats in and ten Republicans in the House to impeach Mr Trump after the Capitol. 

The Senate will now hold an impeachment trial where it looks increasingly likely that Mr Trump will be acquitted after 45 Republicans voted in favour of calling the impeachment trial of a former president unconstitutional, going against the opinions of constitutional scholars.