JEFFERSON CITY — Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft on Thursday announced a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s administration, challenging a 2021 executive order intended to increase voter registration.
, which directs federal agencies to promote voter registration and participation “consistent with applicable law,†has emerged as an issue ahead of the 2024 election, with Republicans arguing the federal government is overstepping its authority.
Missouri’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on Wednesday, came six days before Ashcroft was set to appear on the Aug. 6 Republican primary ballot for governor.
Ashcroft told reporters Thursday he had been following the issue for years.
People are also reading…
Ashcroft said the state had to take action now due to “stonewalling of the Biden administration†with regard to information requests about the order.
“I would’ve happily filed earlier. I wasn’t going to file something without making sure we were ready,†Ashcroft said. “The sole reason that this was delayed was because of the recalcitrance of the Biden administration to follow the law.â€
Following Republican information requests about the order, the chairman of the Committee on House Administration in May sent letters requesting documents related to the order and set a two-week deadline to comply.
The chairman, Wisconsin Republican Rep. Bryan Steil, then issued subpoenas. He called the federal order “another attempt by the Biden administration to tilt the scales ahead of 2024.â€
Ashcroft’s lawsuit asks that the court declare the executive order unconstitutional and in violation of federal law, and that the court enjoin the federal government from implementing the order.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.