A CNN anchor on Monday destroyed arguments made by the long-term Republican Secretary of State of Missouri, who threatened last week to remove President Joe Biden from the 2024 presidential election ballot in response to Colorado and Maine removing Trump, because two other elected Republican politicians have accused him of "insurrection."
"You think that when the Supreme Court takes this up, they are going to side with President Trump, is that correct?" CNN's Boris Sanchez asked Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.
"They are going to side against people being thrown off the ballot in this sort of manner," said Ashcroft, pausing to craft his response.
"The brief that I will be filing with the United States Supreme Court is not going to say that President Trump is a bad person. It's not going to say that he's a good person. What it's going to say is that this extrajudicial means of removing people from the ballot is catastrophic to our country, if it's allowed to continue, because if Democrats can do it, you know that Republicans will do it, and if Republicans will do it, then Democrats will do it more."
While Sanchez did not respond to Ashcroft's claim, the Colorado case was not brought by Democrats but by GOP and independent voters. But Sanchez was prepared and citied the Missouri state constitution to fact-check Ashcroft's claims.
"To that point, Secretary, in order to remove President Biden from the ballot, according to your state constitution, you would need to go to court. What do you think would be your strong –" Sanchez said before being interrupted.
READ MORE: ‘I Won the Election and He Was the Loser’: Biden, Showing Anger and Passion, Torches Trump
"No, not not at all," Ashcroft claimed.
"Your state constitution actually states that the Secretary of State lacks authority to assess qualifications of a candidate to determine whether to place a candidate's name on a primary ballot. That's according to Section 115-387 of your state constitution," Sanchez explained.
"What I'm saying is, if the Supreme Court upholds the rolling out of Colorado," Ashcroft began before Sanchez reminded him that Colorado "went to court to disqualify Trump from the ballot, so you, according to your constitution, we need to go to court."
"Sir. Sir. Sir. Let's just be clear," Ashcroft urged. "First of all, you've already said you're not an attorney. And you don't know what happened in Colorado."
"I know what happened in Colorado," Sanchez retorted. "What I said was that I didn't read through all of the evidence specifically to be able to qualify whether there was hearsay or not. To get back to my question, you say that you would decide to remove Joe Biden from the ballot in your state, according to your state constitution, which I just read to you from, it says you need to go to court. I'm asking you what you think your strongest argument is."
"And I continue to try to answer your questions and you continue to try to tell me stuff that just isn't true," Ashcroft alleged.
"That's not factual sir," Sanchez charged. "You made an accusation about me not knowing something, I'm sure to clarify it for you."
He then again asked, "What is the strongest argument you would make in court to remove Joe Biden from the ballot?"
In a different portion of the interview, Sanchez asked Ashcroft, "what would then be your justification for removing Joe Biden from the ballot in Missouri. Has he engaged in your mind in some kind of insurrection?"
"There have been allegations that he's engaged in insurrection," Ashcroft alleged.
"How so?" Sanchez pressed.
"Please let me finish," Ashcroft said, with Sanchez stating, "You can't say something like that and not back it up."
After complaining he was being interrupted, Ashcroft asked, "Are you scared of the truth?"
"I'm not terrified of the truth at all. It seems like you might be," Sanchez quipped.
READ MORE: ‘Big Deal’: Trump Jr. Ignores Dad Is Accused of Sex With ‘Many Girls’ in New Epstein Doc Dump
After mentioning "allegations," Ashcroft said, "President Trump has never been adjudicated in court law."
"What did Joe Biden do, in your mind, that equates insurrection? What allegations are you talking about?" Sanchez demanded.
"Um, I have seen allegations from the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, that has said that Joe Biden has been part of insurrection or rebellion," Ashcroft replied. We've seen governor of Florida say the same thing."
"Insurrection over what? What did the Lt. governor of Texas say that Joe Biden was causing an insurrection over? If you're gonna make the claim, give me give me some specifics. Are you just gonna tie the governor of Texas or Florida? And not actually say what they are arguing? Do you know what they are arguing?"
Watch both portions of the interview above or at this link.
READ MORE: ‘We Need to Turn Mickey Mouse Into a Nazi’: How the Far Right Openly Plots to Attack the Left