Dispute over foreign funding in politics hinders agreement to secure President Joe Biden’s spot on Ohio’s ballot

In a dramatic turn of events in Columbus, Ohio, the fate of Democratic President Joe Biden appearing on the state’s fall ballot has become a contentious issue tied to a legislative battle over foreign money in state ballot campaigns.

The conflict arose when Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose proposed a ban on foreign money in initiative campaigns, which ultimately derailed efforts to adjust the Aug. 7 ballot deadline ahead of the Democratic National Convention. With Thursday marking the deadline for passing the fix with a simple majority, no sessions were held, leaving the situation in limbo.

Both Republican and Democratic leaders remain confident that Biden will eventually appear on Ohio’s ballot, but the method and timing are still uncertain. Senate Republicans sought to leverage Biden’s situation to push for a ban on foreign nationals contributing to ballot campaigns, citing the involvement of Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss in last year’s heated ballot campaigns.

After contentious debate, a compromise was reached in the Senate to combine the foreign nationals legislation with the ballot deadline adjustment, passing along party lines. However, a different solution proposed by GOP House Speaker Jason Stephens, which included moving the ballot deadline to Aug. 23 and allowing for future extensions, stalled in the House.

The situation escalated when LaRose criticized the House’s inaction, attributing the lack of a resolution to Democrats allegedly protecting foreign billionaires like Wyss. State Sen. Bill DeMora, a Columbus Democrat, accused LaRose of politicizing his office and blamed the Republican infighting for the debacle.

As the deadline looms, the fate of Biden’s appearance on Ohio’s ballot remains uncertain, with the partisan legislative fight showing no signs of resolution.