Republican Missouri state Sen. Bill Eigel is set to file legislation to disqualify President Joe Biden from the state's Democrat presidential primary ballot, using the same constitutional argument that activists have used to kick Donald Trump off the GOP primary ballots in Colorado and Maine.
Trump was removed from the Republican primary ballots by the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows over Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, which disqualifies from office those who engage in insurrection against the Constitution after taking an oath to support it. They cited Trump's alleged involvement in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, although Trump has never been charged with insurrection and has denied any responsibility for the events that occurred that day. He has appealed both rulings.
Republicans nationwide have proposed ways to keep Biden off state primary ballots, given the crisis at the southern border under his watch, but Eigel's legislation would be the first attempt to do so.
"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," Eigel, a gubernatorial candidate who has endorsed Trump, said in a news release obtained by Newsmax. "Our country is being invaded because Joe Biden has swung our southern border wide open. President Biden has allowed more than 8 million people to stroll across our border illegally, causing more harm to this country than any other president in American history.
"My legislation exposes the absolute absurdity of Colorado's and Maine's decisions to remove President Donald J. Trump from the ballot. If radical leftists continue to push lies and fairytales in an attempt to kick Trump off the ballot in their states, Republicans have no choice but to buck up and fight back — use the facts to remove Biden from the ballot before he destroys this country even further.
"Democrats only believe in democracy when it favors them — let's expose their double-standard hypocrisy. We must stand our ground to protect the security of our nation and the sovereignty of our people."
The U.S. Supreme Court said Friday it will hear arguments from the Colorado case in February on whether Trump can be kept off state primary ballots. It will be considering for the first time the meaning and reach of Section 3, created for Confederates in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.