The campaign for independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging CNN and the Biden and Trump campaigns colluded to keep other candidates out of next month’s debate in Atlanta.

The Kennedy campaign claims the TV network and campaigns engaged in “flagrant violations” of federal campaign finance law, adding that it believes CNN is illegally demanding Kennedy meet different criteria than Biden and Trump. It also argues FEC law requires broadcasters to use “pre-established” and “objective” criteria to determine debate participants and cannot pre-select candidates. 

“By demanding our campaign meet different criteria to participate in the debate than Presidents Biden and Trump, CNN’s debate violates FEC law and is a large prohibited corporate contribution to both the Biden and Trump campaigns,” Kennedy said in a statement.

Plans for the June 27 debate hosted by CNN came together quickly earlier this month after Biden announced he would agree to debate Trump twice, once in June and September. ABC News will hold the second debate Sept. 10.

To qualify for the CNN debate, candidates must reach at least 15% in four approved national polls of registered or likely voters and be registered in enough states to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to be elected president.

The Kennedy campaign is scrambling to qualify for the debate by the June 20 deadline. Kennedy has cleared the 15% threshold in three national polls to date and needs one more.

The campaign says it has already submitted the necessary signatures to appear on ballots in nine states that account for 171 electoral votes. It also says it has secured enough signatures in seven others states that would bring its total to 229 electoral votes. Kennedy says he’s on track to have his name on ballots in all 50 states.

But a major hurdle facing the Kennedy campaign is not only collecting the needed signatures, but also having the states verify them in time for the debate. 

Meanwhile, the Kennedy campaign’s FEC complaint argues Biden and Trump will not meet CNN’s requirements because neither candidate will have secured ballot access in any state before the debate. That’s because the Republican and Democratic conventions will not be held until July and August, respectively.

The Democratic National Committee said Tuesday it will nominate Biden through a virtual roll call before the convention to meet a deadline in Ohio. It’s not clear when the roll call will be held.

In a statement to Spectrum News, a CNN spokesperson insisted Biden and Trump meet the requirements.

“The law in virtually every state provides that the nominee of a state-recognized political party will be allowed ballot access without petitioning," the spokeperson said. "As the presumptive nominees of their parties both Biden and Trump will satisfy this requirement.

“As an independent candidate, under applicable laws RFK, Jr. does not,” the statement continued. “The mere application for ballot access does not guarantee that he will appear on the ballot in any state. In addition, RFK, Jr. does not currently meet our polling criteria, which, like the other objective criteria, were set before issuing invitations to the debate.”

Trump campaign Karoline Leavitt pointed the finger at Biden for trying to keep Kennedy out of the debate. 

"Kennedy is an existential threat to Crooked Joe Biden not President Trump. ... President Trump has no problem debating RFK Jr. because he is a radical leftist," she said in a statement.

The Biden did not respond to an email seeking comment.

The Kennedy campaign is calling for the FEC to block the debate from being held “until the Parties have come into compliance with the Federal Election Campaign Act.” 

The son of former Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, Kennedy Jr. is trying to become the first independent presidential candidate to debate the major-party candidates since Ross Perot in 1992.