The campaign of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a statement on Thursday claiming that all CNN staff involved in the upcoming debate are breaking campaign finance laws and could face “serious jail time.”
This warning followed CNN’s early Thursday announcement that Kennedy did not meet the network’s deadline to qualify for the debate.
Kennedy is appealing to the Federal Election Commission, requesting intervention to stop the debate. He is now directly targeting CNN.
“CNN has persisted in this approach even after FEC made clear the phrase ‘presumptive nominee’ is ‘not in the FEC’s debate regulation,’ and therefore it cannot exempt CNN from the prohibition on excessive campaign contributions. As the Commission on Presidential Debates explains, ‘Until the conventions take place, we don’t know who the official nominees will be,'” read the statement.
“This means CNN, and every member of CNN who is participating in planning, executing, and holding this debate, is at risk of prosecution, as happened to Michael Cohen, for violating campaign finance laws. This risk is now acute given that any further violation would be knowing and willful, and thus could carry with it serious jail time,” it continued.
“CNN and its staff are on clear notice, especially given the damning evidence that the Biden campaign has openly demanded Kennedy be excluded from the debates and Trump received assurances from CNN that Kennedy would be excluded.”
According to CNN’s requirements to participate in the first debate next Thursday in Atlanta, Kennedy needed 15% support in four approved national polls; he achieved this in three polls. Additionally, he needed to be on the ballot in enough states to secure 270 Electoral College votes; currently, he would get less than 100.
This results in a debate next Thursday featuring President Joe Biden against Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump. The 90-minute event will occur without a studio audience and will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
“My exclusion by Presidents Biden and Trump from the debate is undemocratic, un-American, and cowardly,” Kennedy stated.
{Matzav.com}
CNN is corrupt and against others free speech.
“Radical Left RFK Jr. wants to debate, but his numbers are way short of the minimum needed. He’s got a long way to go. Maybe someday he’ll hit the big stage.”