Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, one of the top Democrats running for California governor, on Friday blasted USC and the ABC affiliate in Los Angeles for hosting a debate that he argues purposely excludes all candidates of color.<\/p>\n
Becerra said he and the other candidates were excluded from the televised debate unfairly, a decision that he said \u201csmells of election rigging\u201d in a hotly contested race<\/a> less than three months before the June primary.<\/p>\n \u201cMy father used to tell me of the days when he would encounter signs posted outside establishments that read \u2018No Dogs, Negroes or Mexicans Allowed,\u2019\u201d Becerra wrote in a public letter to USC President Beong-Soo Kim. \u201cUSC\u2019s actions may not seem so transparent. But, you have deliberately chosen to selectively filter the voters\u2019 view of the field of gubernatorial candidates in what all observers characterize as a wide-open race.\u201d<\/p>\n The university said in a statement that it authorized a political expert to create the formula to determine who would be included in the debate.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the request of the Center for the Political Future, Dr. Christian Grose, Professor of Political Science and International Relations, independently established the methodology that determined eligibility for the debate,\u201d according to a statement from the center. \u201cNo one in the USC administration had any role in developing, reviewing or approving those criteria.\u201d<\/p>\n The center later said in a statement on Friday that it reiterated the criteria that determined which candidates were invited to participate in the debate, and that nothing had changed since the forum was first planned.<\/p>\n The criteria for gubernatorial candidates to participate considered opinion polling<\/a> and campaign fund raising.<\/a> Six candidates were asked to participate in the March 24 debate, which is cosponsored by ABC7 Los Angeles and Univision.<\/p>\n There was conflicting information about USC\u2019s stated criteria, however. The methodology says that the fundraising totals considered were based on semi-annual reports campaigns filed with the California Secretary of State\u2019s office. However, the document later says that the fundraising figures also includes large donations that campaigns are required to immediately report.<\/p>\n This is a critical difference, because San Jos\u00e9 Mayor Matt Mahan did not enter the race until late January, and thus far has not been required to file any semi-annual fundraising disclosures with the state. However, he has received significant donations since he entered the race.<\/p>\n Mahan agreed with Becerra, saying that he ought to be part of public forums about who will lead the state.<\/p>\n \u201cThe former Secretary is absolutely correct, he should be included in the debate,\u201d Mahan said in a statement. \u201cHis long record of service to California has earned him a place on every debate stage in this campaign for Governor.\u201d<\/p>\n USC officials said they are clarifying how they selected candidates to participate in the race.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are reissuing the criteria to make clear that they include current fundraising totals, including semi-annual and late reports, which were always part of the formula,\u201d the Center for the Political Future said in a statement. \u201cWe are not changing the criteria. We have updated even as of today and the rank order includes the same top 6 candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n Grose said that the selection of candidates was based upon polling and fundraising numbers, and that the sentence about semi-annual fundraising reports was inaccurate.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just a wording issue. It\u2019s not a methodology issue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Six candidates are scheduled to appear at the debate: Republicans Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton; and Democrats Northern California Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, billionaire hedge-fund founder Tom Steyer and Mahan.<\/p>\n