Kucinich files complaint against ABC News

MANCHESTER, N.H., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich has accused ABC News of violating equal-time provisions by excluding him from Saturday's debate.

ABC said it excluded Kucinich, fellow Democrat Mike Gravel and Republican Duncan Hunter from the debate in New Hampshire because they failed to meet ABC's benchmarks for support, The Seattle Times reported Saturday.

Kucinich Friday filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission accusing the network of violating equal-time provisions. The two separate debates for Republican and Democrats were to be held at St. Anselm's College in Manchester Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Kucinich and Texas Democratic officials disagree on whether he must back his party's eventual nominee unconditionally, or can withhold support if the nominee won't renounce the war in Iraq, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Kucinich, who favors complete withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2008, is suing the state party to let him on the March 4 presidential primary ballot in Texas.

Texas party officials refused to put him on the ballot after he scratched out language on the application saying he would "fully support" the Democratic nominee, "whoever that shall be," the Morning News reported.