Charlie Crist Asked Not To Attend Rep. C. W. Bill Young's Funeral

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – Former Governor Charlie Crist has been asked not to attend the funeral of Congressman C.W. Bill Young who died Friday at the age of 82.

The request was made by Young's widow.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that Beverly Young sent the warning in an email to Crist, a former Republican who is considering running for his old job as a Democrat.

"I have watched over the years, as Bill had, your transparent attempts to manipulate the political arena," Beverly Young wrote. "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."

The Times also reported that Jessica Ehrlich and Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice, two Democrats who ran against Young in recent years, were told not to come to the funeral Thursday at First Baptist Indian Rocks in Largo.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.