USC accused of racism after minority candidates don't qualify for gubernatorial debate — so USC makes drastic decision

All of the top Democratic candidates running for governor of California accused the University of Southern California and KABC-TV of being racist against the minority candidates after none of them met the criteria to join a debate.

Two Republicans and four Democrats met the standard to appear in a debate scheduled for Tuesday, but some of the lower-tier candidates complained that those who qualified were all white. The criteria is a mix of polling performance and campaign donations.

'Democrats in this state cannot organize anything.'

The Democrats who qualified for the debate are former Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Eric Swalwell, billionaire Tom Steyer, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.

According to the New York Times, the candidates left out pointed to Mahan, a white candidate who would not have qualified but for the millions of dollars he has raised in Silicon Valley, as evidence of racial bias.

"This biased and bigoted action by USC to manipulate the data to exclude every qualified Black, Latino, and API candidate in favor of a less qualified white candidate is shameful," former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa railed.

"We are a minority-majority state, and the idea that the four candidates of color are not going to be on the stage to bring those perspectives, to really speak to those communities, is really not doing right by the voters," said former California Controller Betty Yee.

"Criteria used to determine which candidates qualify to participate in a debate must be transparent, fair, and objective," Porter responded. "I'm disappointed by how USC handled the process for Tuesday's debate. Candidates and Californians deserve answers."

"It is a shame that USC has decided to elevate one candidate at the expense of others," Swalwell replied. "USC, and every host of a gubernatorial debate, should employ fair, objective, and honest criteria for all candidates. I remain hopeful they will do so Tuesday night."

Steyer also accused USC of coming up with "retroactive standards that elevate some candidates that didn't meet the initial criteria" in order to exclude other candidates.

Mahan called on the organizers to include four candidates who were excluded and are persons of color: Villaraigosa, Yee, Biden HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

"The organizers of the USC debate must include these qualified candidates, and I ask all my fellow candidates to support this request," he wrote.

USC defended the "independence, objectivity, and integrity" of the researcher who created the criteria for the debate and then canceled the debate.

Republican candidate Steve Hilton mocked Democrats after the cancellation.

RELATED: Swalwell surges in California governor's race — but Republican candidate still leads, says new poll

"It's another example that Democrats in this state cannot organize anything. ... This is a really important debate about the future of our state," Hilton said. People want to hear from the candidates, especially in such a crowded field, but yet again, the needs of the insiders, the Democrats, come before the needs of the people."

One recent poll shows Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco taking the lead at 17% and 16% respectively, while Swalwell and Porter tie at 13%. Steyer comes in fifth place with 10% support.

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