Kucinich disinvited by NBC

NEW YORK, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Long shot presidential contender Dennis Kucinich has lashed out at NBC for disinviting him from an upcoming Nevada presidential debate.

The Ohio congressman says he is considering taking legal action against the network, The Hill reported Friday.

NBC had invited Kucinich on Jan. 9, but rescinded its invitation Friday, when NBC Political Director Chuck Todd told the Kucinich campaign that the network was "redoing" its participation criteria, according to the campaign.

Kucinich had qualified to participate in debate by coming in fourth in a national poll with 3 percent.

NBC changed its criteria to focus the debate on the three national front-runners: Sens.

Hillary Clinton of New York, Barack Obama of Illinois and former North Carolina Sen. John

Edwards.

In a statement, the Kucinich campaign cited "the blatant disregard of the public interest in silencing public debate" that dissents with the views of NBC and its parent company, General Electric.

"When 'big media' exert their unbridled control over what Americans can see, hear, and read, then the Constitutional power and right of the citizens to vote is being vetoed by multibillion-(dollar) corporations that want the votes to go their way," the campaign said.