The Green Party’s presumptive nominee for President, Dr. Jill Stein, met a groundbreaking threshold over the weekend by securing enough financial support in 22 states to qualify for the Federal Election Commission’s primary matching funds.

With taxpayers (voluntarily) doling out funds to two third party candidates in this election (Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson ironically qualified in May), the issue of whether the bipartisan (Democrat-and-Republican-controlled) Commission on Presidential Debates can justify its exclusive, anti-democratic charade will itself become a topic for debate.

Watch Stein’s brief message about this breakthrough, and read her full statement below the jump:

From the Jill Stein camp:

We are on the ballot in: Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia

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Next major priorities include: New Mexico and Nevada

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We are currently petitioning in: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Iowa, Indiana, New Hampshire, Vermont, Virginia