Racist Charge Leveled After Congressional Forum

21st District candidate Lester Freeman appeared angry as he let go of a hand he had been shaking and then pointed a finger at Tracey Brooks, one of the seven other candidates who had gathered at the Service Employees International Union building in Albany for a political forum. Brooks pointed back, then the two walked away from each other.

"Racist," Freeman said, repeating it to Brooks. "Racist." Race was not among the issues that came up during the two-hour forum that preceded the exchange.

Freeman told CBS 6 News, "It came up here tonight . It needed to be addressed. It's something me and her have been going back and forth and she knows what I'm talking about."

"I have never spoken to Mr. Freeman before tonight," Brooks said when CBS 6 interviewed her after campaign staff made her available hours after the forum. Brooks said she turned to shake Freeman's hand after the forum and heard what she calls "an unfounded political ambush. It was accusations that were completely unfounded and crazy. I have no idea where it came from."

Freeman claims Brooks, to some degree, backed away from her association with Senator Hillary Clinton - Brooks is a former Clinton aide - after the senator made comments that some observers interpreted as suggesting white Americans will not vote for a black candidate for president.

"She's using Hillary everywhere she goes, she's an associate of Hillary," Freeman says. "Don't try to run and play both sides and you're with her one minute and the next minute, when she says divisive statements like that, then you're not with her anymore."

Brooks says Freeman's "ambush" was "completely in left field. It had nothing to do with the issues that we're talking about in this campaign. I'm running a clean campaign," Brooks says, "and I hope the rest of the other candidates would subscribe to the same standard that I am - that this is a clean campaign about the issues."