ABC cuts debate ties with New Hampshire newspaper; Trump takes credit

MANCHESTER, N.H., Jan. 11 (UPI) -- ABC has announced the dissolution of a partnership with the New Hampshire Union Leader for the Republican primary debate next month.

The debate, scheduled for Feb. 6, is scheduled to take place three days before the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire.

The paper's role in the debate was small, little more than a co-branding partnership. Politico reported the paper would not have had a representative asking candidates questions during the debate.

The paper has been the source of controversy after a front-page editorial in December slammed Donald Trump as a "crude blowhard" and compared him to Biff, the bad guy from the Back To The Future film franchise.

A month earlier, the same paper endorsed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for president, a move that was lambasted by The New Jersey Star Ledger.

Trump took aim at the paper and Christie in December, calling the paper's editor, Joe McQuaid, a "lowlife" and throwing a copy of the paper onto the ground at a rally. Trump accused the paper of colluding with Christie.

McQuaid hasn't backed down, continuing to criticize Trump in the Union Leader's pages.

Trump has taken credit for the Union Leader's exclusion from the next GOP debate in a series of tweets. ABC News has declined to comment on whether Trump's objections played a role in the dissolution of the partnership.

McQuaid released a statement criticizing the decision Sunday:

"We will get over being 'severed.' We are amused by ABC apparently just discovering that we write editorials and endorse candidates. We have been doing both for decades and it hasn't been an issue for ABC or anyone else. Between bowing to the DNC and Trump, ABC is more concerned about appeasing the parties and candidates than informing voters. The Union Leader will continue to serve Granite Staters by being a reliable source of information about where candidates stand."

McQuaid referred to a decision the Democratic National Committee made in December to similarly sever ties with ABC affiliate station WMUR for the last Democratic presidential debate of 2015. The decision was due to a union dispute.