Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has issued a stern warning that President Joe Biden might be removed from the state’s primary ballot, mirroring recent actions taken against Donald Trump in Colorado and Maine.
Ashcroft’s move is rooted in the decisions made in Colorado and Maine, where Trump was excluded from the primary ballots due to alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, coupled with his refusal to acknowledge defeat to Biden.
Denouncing these decisions as “disgraceful” and a threat to the republic, Ashcroft voiced his concerns to NBC News on Saturday, January 6, and anticipates Supreme Court intervention. He asserted, “While I expect the Supreme Court to overturn this, if not, Secretaries of State will step in & ensure the new legal standard for @realDonaldTrump applies equally to @JoeBiden!”
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Former President Donald Trump, captured during a campaign event in Waterloo, Iowa, on December 19, 2023, remains a pivotal figure in this controversy.
Ashcroft’s apprehensions revolve around the potential chaos if Colorado’s disqualification stands, prompting him to file an amicus brief expressing his concerns to the Supreme Court. He argues that if Democratic states can bar Republicans, retaliation from Republican states is inevitable, painting a grim picture for the future of elections in the United States.
Justifying the hypothetical disqualification of Biden, Ashcroft points to the border situation, claiming Biden allowed an “unstopped invasion.” Additionally, he implicates Vice President Kamala Harris for supporting those rebelling against the U.S. government during the 2020 riots following George Floyd’s murder.
Acknowledging the lack of a clear standard for such disqualifications, Ashcroft remarked, “If this is the standard, does that suddenly mean she’s not allowed to run? None of us can say, because there is no standard.”
While the Biden campaign has remained silent on the matter, spokespersons from other states have welcomed Supreme Court involvement. Kentucky’s Secretary of State Michael Adams sees it as a means to ensure clarity for all Secretaries of State, and Texas’ Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick suggests Texas might consider similar actions against Biden for the border situation.
Despite the controversy, Trump remains on the primary ballots in Colorado and Maine as their legal systems navigate these complex cases. The Maine case, distinct from Colorado, involves a Democratic secretary of state’s determination that Trump is ineligible, highlighting the complexities and implications for future elections, a concern shared by Ashcroft despite his stance against secretaries deciding ballot eligibility.
