ABC News has strongly denied allegations of collusion between Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign and the moderators of the recent presidential debate.
According to Daily Mail Online, ABC News has categorically rejected these claims, stating that Harris was not provided with debate questions in advance.
This denial comes in response to growing speculation and conspiracy theories circulating within Trump's MAGA (Make America Great Again) camp, suggesting that Harris had an unfair advantage during the debate. The network's spokesperson emphatically stated to the Daily Beast, "Absolutely not. Harris was not given any questions before the debate."
In discussions on 'Fox & Friends,' Donald Trump criticized debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis, suggesting they unfairly assisted Harris. Trump also proposed that the moderators fact-checked him in real-time but did not apply the same scrutiny to Harris, further inflaming allegations of bias.
Additional accusations surfaced in a report by a website called Leading Report, which claimed that an alleged affidavit from an ABC News whistleblower might soon provide evidence of misconduct by sharing debate questions in advance with Harris and ensuring real-time fact-checking of Trump's statements.
Doubts were cast on the integrity of the debate by Senator Tom Cotton, who described the event as “three-on-one,” criticizing the debate moderators for their handling of the discourse between the former president and Harris.
A comment by the former president drew parallels between this incident and past controversies involving ABC News, hinting at a recurrent issue of fairness and impartiality. “Will panelist Donna Brazile give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala's best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise?” Trump questioned.
It was three-on-one. They continued to engage in so-called fact-checking of Donald Trump. They never did that to Kamala Harris.
During the debate, moderators fact-checked Trump specifically over his comments regarding Haitian immigrants and abortion laws. Harris was allowed to respond directly to Trump's claims about her alleged meetings with foreign leaders such as Vladimir Putin, which Trump argued was a clear display of favoritism.
Despite widespread media coverage and the ensuing controversy, a source close to the matter robustly refuted claims regarding any “assurances” provided to the Harris campaign, describing such allegations as baseless. “Not,” stated an ABC News spokesperson when questioned by the Daily Beast, reinforcing that no advance questions were provided.
The discussion around these allegations has heightened scrutiny on the media's role in political debates, with calls from various quarters for more transparency and fairness in the election process. As the story develops, the public and political analysts alike await further clarifications or possible evidence that could either substantiate or nullify these contentious claims.
ABC News has denied all allegations of impropriety or bias in the debate process. The network maintains that the debate was conducted fairly and that no candidate received preferential treatment or advance information. These denials come amidst a heated political climate as both parties gear up for the upcoming presidential election.
