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Warnock takes heat for dodging questions about Castro's visit to church
By Sam Dorman
Published November 18, 2020
Georgia Senate candidate Raphael Warnock is facing scrutiny after appearing to dodge multiple questions about his former church's decision to host Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in the 90s.
Referencing a recent CNN interview, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted that the fact Warnock "dodges questions about him for the same reason many (not all) other Democrats do, they want the votes & support of socialists & people who believe Castro was a hero."
Nathan Brand, a spokesman from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, also tweeted critically in response to the interview. "Eeeks... Georgia Democrat Raphael Warnock won't say if he attended the 1995 'lovefest' for murderous dictator Fidel Castro," he said.
Fox News previously reported on the event at Abyssinian Baptist Church, which included chants of "Fidel! Fidel! Fidel!" from the audience. At the time, Warnock was a youth pastor and his campaign claims he had no role in the decision to host Castro. A spokesman for the Democrat, however, declined to comment to Fox News on whether he attended the speech.
In C-SPAN footage of the event, head pastor Calvin Butts defended the decision to invite Castro, arguing it was “in our tradition to welcome those who are visionary, who are revolutionary, and who seek the freedom of all of the people around the world.”
When the candidate himself was asked that question on Sunday, he avoided a direct answer to CNN's Jake Tapper.
"Did you attend the speech and do you understand why there are so many people who view Castro as a murderous tyrant and not someone to be celebrated?" Tapper asked.
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"I understand why [Sen.] Kelly Loeffler is trying to change the subject," Warnock said, referring to his Republican opponent. "I was a youth pastor and I had nothing to do with that program. I did not make any decisions regarding the program."
He added: "I've never met the Cuban dictator and so I'm not connected to him."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/warnock-dodges-questions-castro