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Lawsuits Seek to Bar Kanye West from Arizona, Virginia Ballots

Tom Hanks Sparks Quarantine Debate in Queensland, Australia

The return of oscar winning actor Tom Hanks to Australia sparked a debate in Queensland聽parliament on Sept. 9 between Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Liberal National Party parliamentarians over Queensland’s mandatory quarantine program. American Actor, Hanks, 64 arrived at Coolangatta’s Gold Coast Airport in Queensland on Sept. 8 to resume filming for director Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic, five months of testing positive for COVID-19. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles and Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young arrive at a press conference to give an update on Queensland COVID-19 Border Controls in Brisbane, Australia on June 30, 2020. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)It was expected that Hanks would undergo mandatory hotel quarantine like all new arrivals. However, an exemption to the rule enables industry groups like the…

Lawsuits Seek to Bar Kanye West from Arizona, Virginia Ballots

Billionaire rap artist/music producer and long shot White House hopeful Kanye West is being sued to keep his name off the Nov. 3 ballots in Arizona and Virginia, according to reports.

An Arizona resident sued to have West barred from appearing on the state’s ballot, accusing him of serving as an election spoiler and arguing that a law prohibits him from running in the state as an independent presidential candidate because he’s a registered Republican.

In Virginia, a law firm with ties to prominent Democrats filed a lawsuit on Sept. 1 on behalf of two people who say they were tricked into pledging their support for West’s candidacy. Part of the state’s requirement for a candidate to appear on the ballot is for 13 electors to provide their backing, The Associated Press reported.

The lawsuit filed in Arizona on behalf of the plaintiff, Rasean Clayton, claims that “if West is included on the ballot, the harm is done; including an unqualified candidate on the printed ballot will confuse voters and infringes on the core constitutional right to vote for qualified candidates,” 12news reported.

Some have claimed West’s candidacy is a bid to siphon black votes from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. A top Democrat recently claimed there’s “no question” his run for the White House is meant to undercut support for Biden.

Attorney Tim LaSota, who represents West in the Arizona challenge, dismissed claims that West is trying to be a spoiler aimed at hurting Biden’s chances in Arizona.

“That’s just political hyperbole,” LaSota said. “I don’t want to get into the politics of it. But obviously I think there is a lot to be achieved by someone else running for president.”

LaSota described the lawsuit as a “last-ditch effort on the eve of the [signature filing deadline] to deprive voters of a choice.”

West, who once backed President Donald Trump, announced in July that he had broken with Trump and would launch his own presidential bid. He’s made it on the ballots in a number of states, including Arkansas, Minnesota, Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah, and Vermont.

Last month, West released a 10-point presidential platform, punctuated by biblical references, incorporating America-first themes, and centered on “Creating a Culture of Life.”

West’s platform, unveiled on his official campaign website, features a photo of his 2020 vision board. It prominently displays an image of Jesus Christ, a dove representing peace, and two eagles suggestive of U.S. patriotism, along with the number “46.” An electoral victory would make him the 46th president of the United States.

His plan mirrors some of Trump’s policy aims, such as restoring the national economy and ending U.S. involvement in endless foreign wars.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Tom on Twitter: @OZImekTOM

Focus News: Lawsuits Seek to Bar Kanye West from Arizona, Virginia Ballots

Fire Destroys Overcrowded Greek Refugee Camp, Forces Thousands to Flee

LESBOS, Greece鈥擳housands of migrants fled fires on Wednesday that tore through an overcrowded camp under coronavirus lockdown on Greece’s island of Lesbos. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called ministers to an emergency meeting but there were no immediate reports of casualties. The fire broke out at Moria camp just after midnight Tuesday, fire officials said. By early morning, most of Moria was a smouldering mass of burnt containers and tents, with a few people picking through the debris for their possessions, television footage showed. The European Union stood ready to assist Greece “in these difficult times”, European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas said in a tweet after speaking to Mitsotakis. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear. Authorities were investigating whether there was arson. Moria was “probably totally destroyed”, Migration…