Gary Johnson files FEC, FCC complaints over debate exclusion
By Alicia M. Cohn -
Gary Johnson’s presidential campaign is filing an official complaint with both the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over their candidate’s exclusion from the most recent GOP debate, Johnson’s campaign announced Tuesday.
Johnson’s complaint charges that debate sponsor CBS significantly contributed to the candidates who were allowed to participate in the debate, "directly and significantly supporting those candidates it favors, and advocating the nomination of one of their favorites and opposing the nomination of [Johnson], whom CBS evidently disfavors."
Johnson’s campaign has protested his exclusion from debates in the past through various means, typically using email and social media.
The former New Mexico governor has been excluded from most of the presidential debates, failing to meet various requirements set by debate hosts. Hosts have cited his low polling numbers — typically under 2 percent — and in at least one case the fact that Johnson had not participated in enough of the other nationally televised debates.
Johnson has participated in two of the national debates this election cycle, including September’s debate in Florida, where he made a memorable contribution with a joke about President Obama’s “shovel ready” jobs.
In October, Johnson picked up support from fellow GOP presidential contender Newt Gingrich for his complaint against debate hosts who had excluded him from debates over his poll numbers. Johnson was tied at the time in the polls with Rick Santorum, who has been included in most debates.
Saturday’s debate, co-hosted by CBS and National Journal, was the first debate to air on broadcast television. According to Johnson’s complaint, “the public owns the airways over which CBS broadcasts, and the public deserves to be free from bias — favoring some candidates over others — as well as illegal support of certain presidential candidates on national network television.”
Gary Johnson in January 2011.
Former New Mexico  and current Republican Party (GOP) presidential candidate  is reportedly considering a run for the  (LP) presidential nomination. Johnson feels "abandoned by the Republican Party", he told '''', due to his exclusion from nine of the eleven GOP debates and believes the LP would give him a fair shot at their nomination.

Johnson espouses  views including  legalization and defense budget cuts, which often run afoul of the GOP mainstream. Earlier this month, after filing suit with the  and  for his exclusion from the November 12  debate, he chastised the GOP establishment for failing to support him. The GOP agreed with the debate's inclusion criteria, which turned back candidates with less than three percent support in the '''' average and third quarter fundraising receipts below US$1 million. 

Johnson raised a little under US$240,000 in the third quarter and lately has not even been included in polls. He did appear in an August CNN poll, in which he led former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and former Utah governor . Despite their standing, both Santorum and Huntsman have been invited to every debate.

Johnson believes his exclusion was a "boardroom decision" to protect the GOP's "status quo." But Republican party attorney John R. Phillippe Jr. says that without a minimum standard, "the debates would be utter chaos and unhelpful to Republican voters".

If Johnson decides to leave the GOP and seek the LP nomination, it would not be the first time a member of the Republican Party did so. In 2008, former Republican Congressman Bob Barr ran and was selected as the LP nominee. In the general election, he garnered 0.4 percent of the popular vote.

For 2012, the LP has achieved ballot access in all 50 states, and currently has nine presidential candidates, including National Guard officer R.J. Harris and Libertarian activist .