Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said she has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission about being excluded from next week’s presidential debate, arguing that voters have a right to hear all candidates.
“I think the American people really want a real debate, not just two zombie candidates that are being foisted upon us again,” Stein told Scripps News in an interview Wednesday. “I know the American people really want a real debate and a real discussion. They’re entitled to that and we need that.”
CNN, which will host the first debate on June 27, required candidates to receive at least 15 percent support in four polls and be eligible to win enough states’ votes to earn the 270 delegates eligible for the debate.
Stein is trailing far behind other candidates, with support of just over 1%, compared to former President Donald Trump, President Biden and independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West. Poll Average From Real Clear Politics.
“While the candidates who actually qualify for the majority of voters’ voting rights and have a chance of winning the election don’t have a right to participate in the debates, I think voters have a right to hear them in the debates and to know who our choice is,” she said.
Stein echoed Kennedy’s arguments that he likely failed to meet the qualifications in time, and he claimed, without evidence, that CNN and his party’s leading candidates had rigged the rules against him.
“I certainly agree with RFK [Jr.] “There was illegal collusion between the two candidates and CNN. This is essentially illegal political coordination and we’ve just filed a complaint with the FEC,” Stein told Scripps News.
Stein said he had evidence of the alleged conspiracy but gave no further details.
“Well, it is illegal for a television station to engage in informal conversations with a political campaign to set standards to shut out other competitors,” she said. “This is in complete violation of FEC rules and also constitutes illegal campaign contributions.”
The Hill has reached out to the FEC, CNN and Stein’s campaign for comment.
CNN announced On Thursday, both Biden and Trump qualified to compete in the debate before the midnight deadline on Thursday.
