ABC moderators, Linsey Davis and David Muir, are facing accusations of bias towards the Democratic party, after the September 2024 Presidential debate. MAGA supporters and the public and have come out to say that the moderators were aggressive in fact-checking former President Donald Trump while being lenient on Vice President Kamala Harris.

According to Fox News, the accusations center on the perception that Davis and Muir fact-checked Trump regularly on most issues, from abortion to crime, but pulled their punches when it came to Harris. Conservatives framing the debate as “3 against 1”-included a number of commentators and media outlets, saying that the moderators went easier on Harris than they did on others.

Figures including Tomi Lahren and Mollie Hemingway attacked the moderators’ approach, saying this could cost ABC credibility. A number of prominent voices on the left, however credited the moderators with holding the candidates to account, particularly Trump

According to Fox News, ABC Moderator, David Muir called the debate controversy “post-debate noise.” ABC has not issued a formal statement reflecting deeper charges of bias.

The claims of bias have led to a number of concerns in the belief that such moderators of debates are unfair and biased. For any future times, the fairness in moderation will be a must to establish belief in the public about the electoral process. This may bring further debate about any new format and structure of the debate, as well as the role of the moderators.