The Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, has sent letters to CNN and NBC asking them to cancel planned programming about former First Lady, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Priebus says that if the programs are not canceled, he will recommend that the RNC not partner with NBC News or CNN for primary debates once the 2016 election season begins.
NBC is planning a scripted miniseries about Clinton for later this year, while CNN has ordered a film about her life.
“As an American company, you have every right to air programming of your choice,” Priebus wrote to both companies. “But as American citizens, certainly you recognize why many are astounded at your actions, which appear to be a major network’s thinly-veiled attempt at putting a thumb on the scales of the 2016 presidential election.”
You can read both letters, embedded below. We will let you know if either company comments on them.
Update: CNN has a comment.
CNN Films, a division of CNN Worldwide, commissioned a documentary about Hillary Clinton earlier this year. It is expected to premiere in 2014 with a theatrical run prior to airing on CNN. This documentary will be a non-fiction look at the life of a former First Lady and Secretary of State. Instead of making premature decisions about a project that is in the very early stages of development and months from completion, we would encourage the members of the Republican National Committee to reserve judgment until they know more. Should they decide not to participate in debates on CNN, we would find it curious, as limiting their debate participation seems to be the ultimate disservice to voters.