Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, has called for a special session of the state Legislature to ensure Joe Biden is on the ballot in the 2024 presidential election.
DeWine pushed lawmakers to pass legislation that puts Biden on the ballot and prohibits “campaign spending by foreign citizens on ballot issues,” USA TODAY noted.
The Ohio governor called Biden's ballot access dilemma an “absurd situation.”
“The Legislature had [a] session yesterday and again failed to take any action. This is simply unacceptable,” DeWine said, according to NBC News.
“Ohio is running out of time to get Joe Biden, the sitting president of the United States, on the ballot this fall. Failing to do so is simply not acceptable. This is a ridiculous — this is an absurd situation,” he added.
“The purpose of this session will be for the General Assembly to pass legislation ensuring that both major presidential candidates will be on the Ohio ballot in November, as well as legislation that would prohibit campaign spending by foreign nationals,” he continued.
The special session will begin Tuesday, May 28th.
WATCH:
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) calls out the Republican-led legislature for excluding Joe Biden from the November ballot:
"This is simply unacceptable. Ohio is running out of time to get the sitting president of the United States on the ballot this fall … This is ridiculous." pic.twitter.com/4pjLzuLOVy
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) May 23, 2024
NBC News reports:
The late date of this year's Democratic convention, at which Democrats are set to certify Biden as their nominee, comes after Ohio's statutory deadline to certify presidential candidates for its November ballot. In the past, such issues have been handled with quick legislative fixes, but a number of Republican legislators have balked this year.
The special session will start on Tuesday.
DeWine expressed anger at lawmakers from his party in the state House who have not appeared to make significant efforts to place Biden on the ballot.
“The Senate has passed several bills that would remedy this situation,” DeWine said. “However, the House of Representatives has failed to do this.”
🚨Just in: Ohio GOP Governor Mike DeWine has called for a special session to pass legislation ensuring Joe Biden is on the 2024 Ohio Presidential Ballot. pic.twitter.com/XjEo7UHukr
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) May 23, 2024
BREAKING: Ohio governor calls special session to pass legislation ensuring President Biden is on 2024 ballot https://t.co/KFT0nV8j3i
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 23, 2024
“DeWine ordered the special session under Article III, Section 8 of the Ohio Constitution,” USA TODAY stated.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) May 23, 2024
Per USA TODAY:
Ohio House leaders said Tuesday there will probably would not be a legislative solution to get Biden on the ballot and the issue was likely headed to the courts or up to the Democratic Party to find a solution.
DeWine said it should not be up to the courts to solve Ohio's problems.
“I've waited, I've been patient and my patience has run out,” he said. “And the people of the state of Ohio – their patience should have run out by now.”
Democrats previously referred to the Senate's bill as a “sore loser” bill and a “poison pill.”
When asked if he thinks the legislation to put Biden on the ballot ought to be a clean bill, DeWine said he didn't see why the foreign spending ban would be controversial.
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