Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lodges Federal Election Commission complaint alleging collusion in debates

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign recently filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), alleging collusion between CNN, former President Donald Trump, and President Joe Biden to exclude him from an upcoming televised debate scheduled for June.

In the complaint, addressed to FEC Acting General Counsel Lisa Stevenson, the Kennedy campaign asserts that the criteria set for the debate were designed to favor Biden and Trump, in violation of campaign finance laws.

According to FEC regulations, media broadcasters must use “pre-established” and “objective” criteria to determine debate eligibility for candidates. CNN is prohibited from pre-selecting candidates, and debate hosts cannot use party nomination as the sole criterion for candidate inclusion.

The complaint pointed out that The Washington Post reported that the Biden campaign had not agreed to any terms that could include Kennedy, and CNN producers informed Trump aides that Kennedy would not be part of the debate.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated in a press release, “By imposing different criteria for our campaign compared to Presidents Biden and Trump, CNN’s debate breaches FEC laws and constitutes a significant prohibited corporate contribution to both campaigns.”

Kennedy called on the FEC to investigate the matter and prevent the scheduled presidential debate on June 27, 2024 until compliance with campaign finance regulations is ensured.

To qualify for CNN’s debate, candidates must meet specific criteria including appearing on state ballots totaling 270 electoral votes and obtaining at least 15% support in four national polls sponsored by various media outlets.

As of the latest update, the Kennedy campaign has submitted signatures in multiple states, totaling 171 electoral votes. Kennedy also argued in the complaint that neither Biden nor Trump have been officially nominated by their parties yet.

CNN responded to Newsweek stating that Kennedy does not currently qualify for the debate, citing that the mere application for ballot access does not guarantee ballot access in all states. They also explained that Biden and Trump qualify due to state recognition of their respective party nominees.