Castor skips Hispanic forum, draws flak

[Freddie Stubbs]

TALLAHASSEE -- Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Betty Castor decided to skip an Orlando forum focusing on Hispanic issues at Barry University Law School on Tuesday, prompting pointed questions from her two Democratic challengers and the event's organizers, including former state Rep. Tony Suarez.

Castor spokesman Matt Burgess said Castor simply had "a scheduling conflict," but campaign officials for U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch and Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas questioned why they were able to attend and she could not.

"I'm disappointed she could not come," said Suarez, an Orlando attorney who hosts a Hispanic TV show and teaches at the law school. "I don't speak for the whole Hispanic community. I will not take that mantle, but this was a great opportunity to discuss Hispanic issues."

Deutsch spokesman Roy Teicher said he did not understand why Castor could not make the Hispanic forum.

more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/elections/orl-locads11081104aug11,1,7691939.story?coll=orl-news-headlines

[Flagius]

1. Ummm

What hispanic issues?

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. Bilingual education?

:shrug:

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Immigration?

:shrug:

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Farmworkers

[dryan]

5. Ms. Castor...

had another event to go to. She wanted to send a substitute but it wasn't allowed. I had dinner with her daughter on Wednesday night. Anthony Suarez was a Democrat and the Democratic Party worked their tale off to help him win a special election. He served one session in the house then ran for judge against the advice of several party leaders. When he didn't win, he blamed in on the Democratic Party, then he changed parties!