Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Files Complaint Over Rules For CNN’s Presidential Debate Next Month

Phoenix – Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. filed an election complaint Wednesday accusing CNN of conniving with Democratic President Joe Biden and expected Republican nominee Donald Trump to exclude him from a debate next month.

Kennedy argues that the conditions for participating in the June 27 debate were designed to ensure that only Biden and Trump qualified and that he was being held to a higher standard.

“CNN is making prohibited corporate contributions to both campaigns, and the Biden and Trump committees have accepted these prohibited corporate contributions,” Lorenzo Holloway, Kennedy’s lawyer, stated in a letter to the Federal Election Commission.

Robert Kennedy | CTV News Image

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Files Complaint Over Rules For CNN’s Presidential Debate Next Month

CNN stated that the accusation was without merit.

Biden and Trump agreed this month to a CNN debate and another on September 10 hosted by ABC, bypassing the impartial panel that has coordinated debates for nearly four decades. The first debate will occur before Biden and Trump are formally nominated by their respective parties this summer.

Kennedy has viewed the debates as a unique opportunity to stand beside Biden and Trump, providing legitimacy to his longshot bid and convincing those who want to support him that he can win. Both the Biden and Trump campaigns are concerned he may play spoiler.

Kennedy has time to complete the standards, but the window is closing.

CNN reports that candidates will be invited if they have secured a spot on the ballot in states with at least 270 votes in the Electoral College, the minimum required to win the president, and have hit 15% in four trustworthy surveys by June 20.

Robert Kennedy | CNN News Image

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Files Complaint Over Rules For CNN’s Presidential Debate Next Month

Kennedy’s team says he has filed signatures or other papers to appear on the ballot in nine states — California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah — totaling 171 electoral votes, though not all have confirmed his name will be placed. With 54 electoral votes, California will not certify any candidates until August 29.

“The law in virtually every state provides that the nominee of a state-recognized political party will be allowed ballot access without petitioning,” stated a CNN representative on Wednesday. “As the presumptive nominees of their respective parties, both Biden and Trump will meet this condition. RFK Jr. does not qualify as an independent candidate under applicable laws. The simple application for ballot access does not ensure that he will appear on the ballot in any state.”

Robert Kennedy | Variety Image

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Files Complaint Over Rules For CNN’s Presidential Debate Next Month

According to the statement, Kennedy still needs to meet the polling criterion.

Biden and Trump easily passed the polling threshold, but they will only be eligible for the vote once their parties formally nominate them. Both have enough delegates to confirm their nominations.

SOURCE – (AP)