From:  Executive-Protection-News.com - The Secret Service has requested an additional $9.5m to protect the presidential candidates for the remainder of this election year. This year’s presidential campaign has turned into the longest and most expensive ever for the Secret Service. A few factors have contributed to this such as two very high profile candidates, Senators Clinton and Obama, the decision to protect Obama much earlier in the campaign than normally happens, major crowd control at the events of the high profile candidates, more frequent travel by presidential candidates as well as Obama’s recent overseas trip.

Funding the protection of presidential candidates is money well spent. This is one way to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and reinforces the notion that in a democracy, the personal security and safety of presidential candidates matters.

The Associated Press: AP Exclusive: Secret Service wants more money