Stein says she's filed complaint over debate exclusion

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said she has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission over being excluded from next week's presidential debate, arguing voters have the right to hear from all candidates.

"We think that the American people are really hungry for a real debate, not just the two zombie candidates that are being rammed down our throats again," Stein told Scripps News in an interview Wednesday. "We know that the American people are really hungry for real debate and discussion, and I think they are owed that, and we need to have that."

CNN, who will host the first debate on June 27, required candidates to clear at least 15 percent of support in four polls and be viable on enough state ballots to earn 270 delegates to participate in in the forum.

Stein falls far behind other candidates, garnering just over 1 percent of support when up against former President Trump, President Biden and independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West, per polling averages from Real Clear Politics.

"I think candidates who are actually ballot qualified for most voters, who could potentially win the race, have very much — not that they have a right to be in the debate — but that voters have a right to hear them in a debate and to know who our choices are," she said.

Stein echoed the argument of Kennedy, who also likely did not meet the qualifications before the deadline passed. He argued, without evidence, that CNN and the presumptive party frontrunners manipulated the rules against him.

"I certainly agree with RFK [Jr.] that there was illegal collusion here between the two candidates and CNN. This is basically illegally political coordination and we too, have now just filed a complaint with the FEC as well," Stein told Scripps News.

Stein noted that she has evidence of the alleged collusion without providing further details.

"Well, it is illegal for a TV station to be in private dialogue with the political campaigns in order to create criteria that will keep all other competitors out," she said. "That is very much against FEC rules and also constitutes an illegal campaign contribution."

The Hill reached out the FEC, CNN and Stein's campaign for comment.

CNN announced Thursday both Biden and Trump qualified for the debate ahead of the Thursday at midnight deadline.