Meg Whitman's hiring of illegal worker now center stage

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By Jack Chang

Sacramento Bee

FRESNO — The California governor's race turned bitterly personal at a debate held Saturday for Spanish-speaking audiences, as Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman and Democratic rival Jerry Brown slashed at each other over Whitman's hiring of an illegal immigrant housekeeper.

Questions about Nicky Diaz Santillan, who revealed Wednesday that she had worked for the Republican for nine years despite being undocumented, produced the sharpest exchange of the 60-minute debate held at Fresno State.

In the most explosive moment, Whitman faced Brown on stage and said, "Jerry, you know you should be ashamed. You and your surrogates put her deportation at risk. You put her out there. You should be ashamed for sacrificing Nicky Diaz at the altar of your political ambitions."

Whitman's campaign has not produced evidence that Brown collaborated with Diaz Santillan's attorney, Gloria Allred, on the case.

Brown hit back by accusing Whitman of not taking responsibility for hiring Diaz Santillan in the first place.

"Don't run for governor if you can't stand up on your own two feet and say, 'Hey I made a mistake. I'm sorry. Let's go on from here,' " Brown said. "You blamed her, blamed me, blamed the left, blamed the unions, but you don't take accountability."

The Democrat went right back to dinging Whitman about the housekeeper after technical problems halted the debate for about half an hour.

Brown brought up Whitman's plan for holding employers responsible for hiring illegal immigrants and said, "Ms. Whitman obviously didn't crack down on herself."

Diaz Santillan stunned the state political world this week when she announced in Allred's office that she was filing a claim seeking unpaid wages and mileage reimbursements from Whitman. She also released a 2003 Social Security letter that was sent to Whitman and her husband saying Diaz Santillan's data didn't match federal records.

Whitman has insisted that she didn't know Diaz Santillan was in the country illegally and let her go in June 2009, when the Mexican national requested help becoming a legal resident.

The still-fresh controversy carried extra dangers for Whitman on Saturday because millions of Latinos across the state were watching the debate on Spanish-language TV network Univision, with the candidates' responses dubbed into Spanish.

California's political math demands Whitman capture at least 30 percent of Latino support, a fact she acknowledged Saturday by saying, "I cannot win this election without the Latino vote."

Whitman has run months of Spanish-language advertising, and public opinion polls show she has garnered more Latino support than Republicans normally manage. In fact, she was the first to accept Saturday's debate invitation, with Brown confirming his appearance only weeks later.

Many of the questions Saturday from moderator Maria Elena Salinas focused on immigration and social services for Latino residents, as well as issues affecting the Central Valley, such as water and foreclosures.

Brown cited several times his accomplishments as governor, from 1975 to 1983, including signing a farm labor bill giving agricultural workers collective bargaining rights.

The two candidates laid out several policy differences.

Brown defended federal health care changes now taking effect, while Whitman said they should be repealed.

Brown again criticized Whitman's proposal to eliminate the capital gains tax as a blow to the state budget, particularly education.

-- http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/03/1855061/meg-whitmans-hiring-of-illegal.html
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Monday, October 4, 2010