Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), accusing CNN of colluding with President Biden and former President Trump’s campaigns to exclude him from the first presidential debate on June 27.
Kennedy’s complaint, filed on Wednesday, claims that CNN, along with the Biden and Trump campaigns, violated the Federal Election Campaign Act by creating debate criteria designed to include only Biden and Trump. Lorenzo Holloway, Kennedy’s attorney, stated in the complaint that CNN’s actions amounted to prohibited corporate contributions to both campaigns.
Earlier this month, Trump and Biden agreed to participate in two debates, one hosted by CNN and another by ABC in September, bypassing the Commission on Presidential Debates, which has overseen debates since 1988.
CNN dismissed Kennedy’s complaint as baseless, stating he does not meet the network’s polling criteria and lacks sufficient ballot access. A CNN spokesperson explained, “As the presumptive nominees of their parties, both Biden and Trump satisfy this requirement. As an independent candidate, RFK Jr. does not.”
The network requires presidential contenders to achieve at least 15 percent in four national polls and be on the ballot in enough states to secure 270 electoral votes, the minimum needed to win the Electoral College. Kennedy’s campaign reported submitting signatures for ballot access in nine states, including New York with its 28 electoral votes.
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