The Republican National Committee has voted to boycott any presidential primary debates planned by CNN and NBC if they proceed with lengthy television features on Hillary Clinton, widely expected to be a 2016 Democratic candidate.
With no audible dissent, GOP officials approved a resolution backing the position at their annual summer meeting in Boston on Friday.
The RNC claims that a Clinton-themed documentary and a separate miniseries -- in the works from CNN and NBC, respectively -- will put a "thumb on the scales" in the upcoming 2016 presidential election.
The draft resolution, obtained by Fox News in advance and later voted on by RNC officials, calls on CNN and NBC to cancel what it describes as "political ads masked as unbiased entertainment."
And if they don't, the resolution states, "the Republican National Committee will neither partner with these networks in the 2016 presidential primary debates nor sanction any primary debates they sponsor."
The resolution, echoing remarks made earlier this month by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, claims the programming would show "political favoritism" in the election and jeopardize the credibility of the networks.
Last month, CNN Films announced it was producing a documentary on Clinton to premiere next year, first in theaters and then on CNN.
NBC also announced a four-hour "Hillary" miniseries starring Diane Lane, on the life of the former secretary of State and first lady.
CNN defended its planned documentary in a written statement in early August.
"This documentary will be a non-fiction look at the life of a former First Lady and Secretary of State. Instead of making premature decisions about a project that is in the very early stages of development and months from completion, we would encourage the members of the Republican National Committee to reserve judgment until they know more," the statement said. "Should they decide not to participate in debates on CNN, we would find it curious, as limiting their debate participation seems to be the ultimate disservice to voters."
With no audible dissent, GOP officials approved a resolution backing the position at their annual summer meeting in Boston on Friday.
The RNC claims that a Clinton-themed documentary and a separate miniseries -- in the works from CNN and NBC, respectively -- will put a "thumb on the scales" in the upcoming 2016 presidential election.
The draft resolution, obtained by Fox News in advance and later voted on by RNC officials, calls on CNN and NBC to cancel what it describes as "political ads masked as unbiased entertainment."
And if they don't, the resolution states, "the Republican National Committee will neither partner with these networks in the 2016 presidential primary debates nor sanction any primary debates they sponsor."
The resolution, echoing remarks made earlier this month by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, claims the programming would show "political favoritism" in the election and jeopardize the credibility of the networks.
Last month, CNN Films announced it was producing a documentary on Clinton to premiere next year, first in theaters and then on CNN.
NBC also announced a four-hour "Hillary" miniseries starring Diane Lane, on the life of the former secretary of State and first lady.
CNN defended its planned documentary in a written statement in early August.
"This documentary will be a non-fiction look at the life of a former First Lady and Secretary of State. Instead of making premature decisions about a project that is in the very early stages of development and months from completion, we would encourage the members of the Republican National Committee to reserve judgment until they know more," the statement said. "Should they decide not to participate in debates on CNN, we would find it curious, as limiting their debate participation seems to be the ultimate disservice to voters."