Time Warner's NY1 Bars New York Senate Candidate From TV Debate

In New York, a controversy is emerging in the race between Senator Hillary Clinton and Democratic challenger Jonathan Tasini. The local news station NY1 has refused to set up a debate between the two candidates because Tasini hasn't spent enough money on the race. The channel, which is owned by Time Warner, requires that candidates poll at least 5 percent and have spent or raised $500,000. Tasini is polling at 13 percent but his campaign has only raised $150,000.

We invited NY1 to joins us on the program to respond but they declined. The station's, public relations manager, Edward Pachetti sent us this statement outlining their position: "NY1 News is producing the most ambitious series of political debates and town hall meetings this election season. As part of the staging of these events, NY1 established criteria to identify which candidates would be invited to participate in these events. The criteria are that a candidate must poll at least five percent (including margin of error) in a recognized independent poll and would need to have spent and/or raised $500,000. All candidates who have met these criteria have been invited to participate."

* Jonathan Tasini, New York Democratic challenger. He is a union leader and organizer and the former president of the National Writers Union.

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