The Democratic National Committee will not allow Fox News to host any of its upcoming presidential primary debates.
In a statement, Democratic Party chief Tom Perez said the decision came as a direct result of reporting from Jane Mayer and the New Yorker which documented the closeness between the network and Trump White House.
“I believe that a key pathway to victory is to continue to expand our electorate and reach all voters,” Perez said in a statement. “That is why I have made it a priority to talk to a broad array of potential media partners, including Fox News.”
“Recent reporting in the New Yorker on the inappropriate relationship between President Trump, his administration and Fox News has led me to conclude that the network is not in a position to host a fair and neutral debate for our candidates,” he continued. “Therefore, Fox News will not serve as a media partner for the 2020 Democratic primary debates.”
In a statement, Fox News urged the DNC to reconsider its decision.
“We hope the DNC will reconsider its decision to bar Chris Wallace, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, all of whom embody the ultimate journalistic integrity and professionalism, from moderating a Democratic presidential debate,” Fox News said in a statement. “They’re the best debate team in the business and they offer candidates an important opportunity to make their case to the largest TV news audience in America, which includes many persuadable voters.”
