The Missouri Republican Party filed a lawsuit yesterday trying to boot a one-time “honorary” Klu Klux Klan member off its primary ballot for governor.
Darrell Leon McClanahan III has a history of racist and antisemitic associations and has been photographed attending what he called a “Christian Identity Cross lighting ceremony” — an event that, while it featured a burning cross, he insists was definitely not a cross burning.
He filed to run for governor on the first day of filing eligibility last month, and earned a spot at the very top of the ballot. But within a few days, his history with the KKK had surfaced and the state GOP said they were making efforts to remove him from the ballot.
The lawsuit filed yesterday appears to be the first step in that removal process.
In the suit, the state Republican Party asks a judge to permanently prevent Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (who is also running for Missouri governor) from certifying McClanahan’s name on the primary ballot.
The suit was filed against both Ashcroft and McClanahan. It alleges Ashcroft has “refused” to remove McClanahan’s name from contention.
However, Ashcroft’s spokesman has said that the Secretary of State doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally kick someone off the ballot absent a court order.
Ashcroft himself told the Post-Dispatch that he was thankful the lawsuit was filed yesterday, presumably because it might produce such an order.
Reached for comment by text, McClanahan said, “I don't believe it's proper for the Secretary of State [Jay] Ashcroft to be commenting saying I'm racist or anti-semitic as he is also a candidate for governor.” He added that he does “intend on responding.”
The lawsuit references the photo of McClanahan at the cross burning as well as a previous lawsuit he filed against the Anti-Defamation League. In that lawsuit, McClanahan described himself as a "Pro-White man, horseman, politician, political prisoner-activist who is dedicated to traditional Christian values."
He has also made social media posts featuring Nazi imagery, racial slurs and the phrase “White Power,” according the to state GOP’s suit.
The Missouri GOP says that upon learning of McClanahan’s history, they refunded his filing fee and sent him a letter disavowing him as a candidate.
They say in their lawsuit that McClanahan’s racist and antisemitic views are antithetical to the Republican Party, they don’t want to be associated with him and have a right not to be associated with him based on the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution.
No attorney is currently entered on behalf of McClanahan nor has a court date been set in the matter.
Asked if he is going to be the next governor of Missouri, McClanahan replied, “Well only time would tell.”
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