RNC suspends partnership with NBC in fallout over chaotic CNBC debate

With GOP anger over CNBC's handling of Oct 28's Republican presidential debate boiling over, the Republican National Committee announced that it was suspending its partnership with NBC News for an upcoming debate in February. In a letter to NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said that their relationship for the upcoming debate scheduled for Feb. 26, 2016 at the University of Houston was on hold "pending further discussion."

The RNC has faced increasingly vocal -- and active -- dissatisfaction with the debate process from presidential contenders in the wake of Oct 28's faceoff, with candidates and their campaigns complaining that CNBC conducted the debate in "bad faith" and asked questions in an attempt to create infighting. "We simply cannot continue with NBC without full consultation with our campaigns," Priebus wrote. In a statement, NBC News called the RNC's decision "disappointing." Priebus noted that a debate would still be held on that day and that the RNC would continue to work with its partner in the event, the National Review.