Can someone please explain how MSNBC was allowed to break the law?

I know that there a gazillion lawyers here. How was MSNBC allowed to break the law? The law is that there must be pre-established criteria before a debate. MSNBC issued an invitation to Kucinich and then rescinded the invitation. Kucinich met the pre-established criteria and then MSNBC changed the criteria. Thus either this law is complete nonsense or MSNBC broke the law. Will someone please explain how MSNBC can be allowed to break the law?

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14feb20071500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2007/janqtr/11cfr110.13.htm

"c) Criteria for candidate selection. For all debates, staging
organization(s) must use pre-established objective criteria to determine
which candidates may participate in a debate. For general election
debates, staging organizations(s) shall not use nomination by a
particular political party as the sole objective criterion to determine
whether to include a candidate in a debate. For debates held prior to a
primary election, caucus or convention, staging organizations may
restrict candidate participation to candidates seeking the nomination of
one party, and need not stage a debate for candidates seeking the
nomination of any other political party or independent candidates."

How did the government allow MSNBC to get away with breaking the law?