Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Third Parties to File FEC Complaints Over Debate Exclusions - Updated

Our take? If you qualify for the ballot, you should be included in the debates

Surprise of surprises? As a predictable response to their ham-handed exclusion from the currently ongoing Utah Debate Commission debates, we learn from the Salt Lake Tribune that certain "third-party candidates upset at being left out of televised debates announced their intention Wednesday to file formal complaints with the Federal Election Commission and county district attorneys, among other officials":

• Utah third parties to file FEC complaints over debate exclusions

Our take? If you qualify for the ballot, you should be included in the debates.

We'll be keeping a close eye on this development, to see how this all shakes out, of course, even though these late-in-coming legal efforts may amount to nothing more than "shutting the barn door, after the livestock have escaped."

Update 9/26/14 8:30 a.m.: Here's more from KSL News. “We’re getting charged if we want to have a similar amount of time, up to $2,000 for a 2:00 a.m. slot on broadcast media.” "Prime time slots can be costlier," Libertarian first district congressional candidate Craig Bowden complains:

• Third parties to formally complain about debate shut-out

Comments... anyone? Ferris?