When people gather on Thursday to mourn the passing of Florida Rep. C. W. Bill Young, former Republican Florida Governor, would-be independent Senator, and potentially the future Democratic Florida Governor Charlie Crist will not be welcome, having been curtly warned to stay away by the Republican congressman’s widow.
Young passed away Friday at the age of 82, midway through his 22nd term in congress.
In an email to Crist, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times, Beverly Young, the wife of the late congressman, advised Crist that he was not welcome at the public funeral to be held Thursday in Largo, Florida.
Charlie:
This e-mail is to officially advise you that your presence at my husband’s memorial services will be unacceptable. I have watched over the years, as Bill had, your transparent attempts to manipulate the political arena. I don’t want my husband’s memorial service to be another opportunity for that and I will not tolerate anyone turning this into a platform for political gain.
Please honor my family’s request.
Sincerely,
Beverly Young
Crist has been a political shapeshifter over the past several years. He served as Florida Governor as a Republican. When he ran for Senate in the 2010 election, he switched his affiliation to independent, as now Republican Sen. Marco Rubio was beating him in the primary polls. Last year, he switched his affiliation again, joining the Democratic party. He did not immediately return an email from The Daily Caller seeking comment.