Openly gay Illinois Senate candidate
Jacob Meister was excluded from a Wednesday night Democratic debate
broadcast on Chicago PBS affiliate WTTW, ChicagoPride.com
reported.
Meister
is campaigning to fill the seat vacated by President Obama.
Senator Roland Burris, a Governor Blagojevich appointee, has stepped
aside. Four additional candidates are vying in the February 2
Democratic primary.
Meister campaign officials called the
exclusion a decision based solely on sexual orientation and have
asked for a ruling from the Federal Communications Commission.
“The only fact, which appears to
distinguish Mr. Meister from any of the other Democratic Party
candidates, is that Mr. Meister is gay,” attorney David Axelrod
said.
Axelrod, who shares no relation to the
Democratic advisor of the same name, said as a public entity WTTW
shares a “legal and moral responsibility to provide the citizenry
with an unbiased point of view.”
“WTTW's decision to exclude me isn't
based on any reasonable or accurate standard, whether in a court of
law or the court of public opinion,” Meister said. “My inclusion
is about access. It is about fairness and the right of every
Illinois voter to be given the opportunity to choose the candidate
who he or she believes is best suited to hold the office of United
States senator.”
Meister has previously participated in
debates sponsored by various civic organizations, the website
reported.