RNC Looking at Punishing NBC for McDaniel Mess

The Republican National Committee has warned NBC News could pay for its dramatic firing of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel at the Republican National Convention in July. The network is already facing anger from Republicans, including some sources, upset by the decision to fire McDaniel as a contributor after intense backlash from hosts, Semafor reports. Now, the RNC is considering whether to restrict the network's access to the convention. "It appears that it's up to Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow as to whether NBC will participate in the convention since we just learned that NBC is held hostage by their 'talent,'" RNC and Trump campaign rep Danielle Alvarez said Thursday, per Politico. "We are taking a hard look at what this means for NBC's participation at the convention."

In 2016, the RNC canceled a debate deal with NBC over questions directed to Republican presidential candidates. But barring the network from the Republican National Convention would be a dramatic step, and one that could backfire. There would likely be "strong pushback from top brass" at NBC as well as rival outlets, journalists, and media groups, per Politico. It adds that "a major showdown with the press at the biggest political event of the election cycle could prove to be an unwanted distraction for Republicans" and particularly "a presidential nominee who takes heavy interest in the media coverage he receives."

It's not clear the RNC even has the authority to block NBC's access. The House Periodical Press Gallery oversees the credentialing process. "[If] the publication is credentialed on Capitol Hill, and one of the parties asked that the publication not be credentialed for the convention, we would credential the publication anyway," director Rob Zatkowski tells Politico. "To my knowledge this has never happened before." But sources say the RNC could instead limit access to interview subjects, locations around the convention center—including hotels—and transportation. That could hurt NBC, which may need all the access it can get. According to Semafor, its firing of McDaniel "threatens to undo years of repositioning itself as friendly to Republican officials and viewers." (More Republican National Convention stories.)