(CNSNews.com) — With conservative leaders sharply criticizing CNBC’s manner of moderating Wednesday night’s Republican presidential debate — which featured multiple questions framed as personal attacks on the candidates — former Attorney General Ed Meese said the leaders of the Republican National Committee who allowed CNBC to moderate the debate should be condemned.

“After 15 minutes it was clear that this was not a debate, but a verbal shooting gallery set up by CNBC, with the targets the Republican candidates and the shooters their biased antagonists from the press,” said Meese.

“Ted Cruz accurately described what was going on,” he said. “Whoever selected the ‘moderators’ should be fired and the RNC leaders who allowed it should be condemned.”

The three moderators for the debate were CNBC’s John Harwood, Becky Quick and Carl Quintanilla.

Read the article “Ed Meese: RNC Leaders Who Allowed CNBC to Moderate Debate Should Be Condemned” on cnsnews.com.