CNN cancels presidential candidate town halls because of impeachment trial

CNN canceled its upcoming Democratic presidential town halls Thursday, citing the ongoing impeachment trial.

The town halls were set for Jan. 28 and Jan. 29 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Candidates invited to participate included former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, businessmen Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer, and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar also were scheduled to attend, but they have since been pulled into the impeachment proceedings. CNN previously said the network would host the town halls in Washington, D.C., if they were unable to participate in Iowa.

A spokesman for the network said Thursday that CNN is working to reschedule the town halls.

Warren, Sanders, Klobuchar and Sen. Michael Bennet have been absent from the campaign trail since the impeachment proceedings began. Warren and Sanders have leaned on high-profile surrogates to campaign for them, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stumping for Sanders and “Queer Eye” co-host Jonathan Van Ness appearing in Iowa for Warren.

The candidates also have sought help from family members. Klobuchar’s husband and daughter are campaigning on her behalf, as well as the spouses of Sanders and Warren, according to the Associated Press.

Bennet told the AP that he will try to campaign on Sundays when possible.

“There’s no sense worrying about it,” he said. “It’s out of my hands.”