Missouri State Senator Bill Eigel has recently introduced a bill with the aim of excluding President Joe Biden from the state’s 2024 ballot. This legislative move comes in response to decisions made in Colorado and Maine, which resulted in the exclusion of former President Donald Trump from their ballots.
As reported by the Conservative Brief on Sunday, January 7, 2024, Senator Eigel, who is concurrently running for governor of Missouri, framed this legislation as a response to what he perceives as a double standard and hypocrisy in attempts to disqualify Trump from several states’ ballots.
In a social media post, Senator Bill Eigel stated, “By the Democrats’ own standard, Joe Biden should be immediately disqualified and removed from the ballot for the ‘aid and comfort’ he has given our enemies.”
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Eigel accused Biden of permitting an unchecked influx of individuals across the southern border, estimating that over 8 million people have entered the country illegally. He argued that this action has inflicted more damage on the United States than any previous president in American history.
The proposed legislation by Eigel spotlights the ongoing controversy surrounding the exclusion of Donald Trump from ballots in specific states. It directly challenges the decisions made by Colorado and Maine, which excluded Trump based on allegations related to the 14th Amendment’s provision prohibiting “officers” who engaged in “insurrection” from seeking elected office.
Emphasizing his commitment to combating what he views as falsehoods and efforts to remove Trump from the ballot, Eigel urged Republicans to counter such endeavors with facts, aiming to safeguard the nation’s security and the sovereignty of its citizens.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court has taken an emergency appeal from attorneys representing Trump after the Colorado Supreme Court barred him from the state’s ballot. The high court’s decision includes a stay on Colorado’s order, directing the state’s secretary of state to reinstate Trump’s name on the ballot pending the final judgment in the case. Oral arguments are scheduled to be heard on February 8, 2024.
The legal dispute over Trump’s eligibility revolves around interpreting the phrase “engaged in insurrection” in the 14th Amendment.
This ongoing controversy underscores the broader disputes stemming from the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol Building.
In a separate development, a Wyoming district court judge dismissed a lawsuit seeking to remove Trump and Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis from election ballots. The lawsuit, filed by retired lawyer Tim Newcomb, alleged that Trump and Lummis were “traitors” to the Constitution in connection to the Capitol riot. Wyoming Republican Secretary of State Chuck Gray celebrated the dismissal, stressing the significance of safeguarding election integrity.
As these legal battles continue, they remain marked by intense political polarization and divergent interpretations of constitutional provisions.
Eigel’s proposed bill in Missouri adds another dimension to the ongoing discourse surrounding the eligibility of political figures for election, positioning itself as a pivotal point in discussions on equity, partisanship, and adherence to the rule of law.
