Jay Ashcroft stands firm on abortion vote

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri’s top election official has rejected a third petition for a public vote on a new law banning abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft acted Tuesday. Last week he rejected two similar petitions for a referendum on the law. The ACLU of Missouri and a wealthy Republican businessman filed the petitions and are suing in an attempt to force Ashcroft to approve their petitions.