PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Bill Cosby scandal has become a point of attack in the race for district attorney in suburban Philadelphia, with one candidate running a TV ad criticizing his opponent for not bringing charges against the comedian when the sexual assault allegations first surfaced a decade ago.
Former Montgomery County prosecutor Bruce L. Castor Jr. concluded at the time that both Cosby and the accuser could be viewed in a “less than flattering light,” but he determined there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute. Dozens of women have since made similar claims against the actor.
“Bruce Castor had an opportunity to bring charges and he failed to do so,” Democratic challenger Kevin Steele said in a 30-second ad that debuted Tuesday, two weeks before the election.
Castor called the ad the work of a “desperate candidate” and said Steele, a career prosecutor, could have pursued Cosby in the interim.
The race appears to be close, and the outcome could determine whether Cosby faces criminal charges in Montgomery County. The 12-year deadline to file felony sex-assault charges expires in January, the same month the winner takes office.