GOP presidential candidate Larry Elder on Thursday filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission after the Republican National Committee left him out of Wednesday’s primary debate.
"The legal issue at hand here is once an organization establishes debate criteria, it must stick with those standards and apply them evenly," Elder said in the complaint.
"If they don't, they are making an in-kind contribution to the candidates they allow into the debate. Specifically, FEC regulations warn organizations that want to stage debates must use 'pre-established objective criteria to determine which candidates may participate in a debate.' "
Elder, a radio talk show host, earlier this week said he believes the debate field was hand-picked by the RNC because it favors some candidates over others, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
"When you set rules for a debate, you need to objectively apply them to everybody, otherwise you're making an in-kind contribution to the eight candidates to my detriment," he told Newsmax Wednesday.
"So, it's possible that the FEC could fine the RNC and Fox News for making an in-kind contribution to the tune of $100 million per and we gave them until 2:00 Central Time to put me up there in that debate stage, and if not, we'll file a complaint with the FEC around 10:00 a.m. local time tomorrow morning."
RNC spokesperson Keith Schipper said in a statement that the RNC "worked over two years to deliver a transparent and fair primary process that will put our eventual nominee in the best position to beat [President] Biden.
"Criteria to qualify for the first debate was clearly presented to campaigns and RNC leadership and members of the debate committee were in constant communication with candidates and campaigns throughout the qualifying period."