The Virginia Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Kanye West on Thursday, blocking the rapper from appearing on the state’s general election ballot in November, Fox News informed.
West appealed to the Supreme Court following a ruling by state Attorney General Mark Herring, who found that West’s campaign had obtained fraudulent signatures in an attempt to get on the ballot.
“Having considered the record and arguments presented, we find it is not ‘appropriate under the circumstances of th[is] case’ to alter the temporary injunction,” the court’s decision concludes.
Herring took to Twitter to applaud the ruling.
“This case could have thrown the election into complete chaos and disenfranchised thousands of Virginians — this ruling will help ensure every single vote is counted this fall,” he said.
West, a former supporter of President Trump, announced his candidacy on the Fourth of July to run as an independent.
The celebrity has not made enough state ballots to win, but some have suggested he is just attempting to siphon votes from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden – accusations that West has not denied.
In a conversation between the hip hop star and a Forbes editor last month, West said he was attempting to get on state ballots to help push votes away from Biden, and therefore aid the incumbent candidate.
“I’m not going to argue with you,” Kanye reportedly said in a text exchange with the editor after he was asked about how his campaign could negatively affect Biden’s.
And when asked directly about hurting Biden’s campaign he reportedly replied, “I’m not denying it; I just told you.”
West has poured roughly $6 million of his personal funds into his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
West has not yet publically commented on Virginia’s Thursday ruling.
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