Voters expected Bill Cosby to take center stage at the Montgomery County district attorney’s race debate Wednesday but due to a medical emergency for one of the candidate’s family members, the debate is off.
Former DA Bruce Castor, a Montgomery County Commissioner, pulled out of the WNPV 1440 debate with Kevin Steele citing a “family medical situation,” said WNPV.
The candidate's forum at the West Main Line Diner in Lansdale was expected to bring plenty of attention since ads in the hotly-contested race have focused on Castor’s and Steele’s dealings with allegations of sexual misconduct against comedian Bill Cosby that came to light in 2004.
The election next week pits Castor against Steele, a top assistant prosecutor in the district attorney's office, who was recently involved in reopening the investigation.
Former Temple University employee Angela Constand has accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her at his home in Montgomery County in January 2004. She met Cosby through her women's basketball team job at Temple, where Cosby, who has denied widespread abuse claims from several women, was a trustee.
Authorities have until January 2016 to file charges under the 12-year statute of limitations for felony sexual assault in Pennsylvania.
The current prosecutor, Risa Vetri Ferman, is stepping down to run for judge. She declined to discuss the investigation Monday. However, responding to questions about the Cosby case, she recently noted the "tremendous courage" it takes for sexual-assault victims to come forward.
Constand, in the defamation lawsuit against Castor, says she had become "collateral damage for his political ambitions."
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No word if the debate will be rescheduled, for now, the radio station plans to interview Steele, who plans to still attend the diner event.
