Florida senator who resigned over racial slur hired models

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – A newspaper is reporting that a Florida state senator who resigned this week after using a racial slur hired a former Hooters “calendar girl” and a Playboy model with no political experience to be consultants for his political action committee last year.

The Miami Herald reported Saturday that state records show that Frank Artiles’ PAC, Veterans for Conservative Principals, had paid former Hooters model Heather Thomas $2,000 and former Playboy model Brittney Singletary $1,500. They were listed as consultants.

Artiles’ political consultant David Custin refused to answer the paper’s questions. Singletary said she did fundraising for the PAC. Thomas declined to comment. Associated Press

Artiles, a Republican, resigned Friday after he used vulgarities and a variation of the N-word in a barroom conversation with two black colleagues earlier in the week.

Former Republican state Sen. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, asks questions about a pipe insurance bill during house session in Tallahassee, Fla. Artiles, who used a racial slur and vulgar language in a conversation with two African-American colleagues,...