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Schwarzenegger calls immigrant-threat letter a "hate crime"
Contra Costa Times ^ | October 21, 2006 | AP

Posted on 10/21/2006 4:06:05 PM PDT by calcowgirl

SANTA ANA, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, calling an intimidating letter sent to thousands of Hispanic voters "a hate crime," said Saturday the Republican candidate whose campaign it was linked to should quit the race if he had anything to do with it.

"I think this is one of the worst letters that anyone could send out. And I think those kind of tactics are illegal and it is a hate crime," Schwarzenegger said.

During a re-election campaign swing through Southern California on Saturday, Schwarzenegger met with a Hispanic business group in Orange County, where the mailing has infuriated Latino activists and may have scuttled the campaign of Tan D. Nguyen, a Republican congressional candidate.

"I think that anyone that knew and if he knew has to resign immediately," Schwarzenegger said. "I think there should be no tolerance for this kind of behavior."

A call left for Nguyen was not immediately returned Saturday afternoon.

Nguyen, a Vietnamese immigrant, is trying to unseat five-term Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez in the 47th Congressional District.

Nguyen has rejected previous calls from other officials in his party to abandon the race, saying a campaign staffer sent the mailing without his knowledge and has been fired.

The letter, written in Spanish, was mailed to an estimated 14,000 Democratic voters in Orange County. It warned: "You are advised that if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time."

Adult naturalized citizens are eligible to vote. Secretary of State Bruce McPherson said Friday that his office will send letters to homes that received the mailing to clarify voters' rights before the Nov. 7 election.

On Friday, law enforcement agents searched Nguyen's Santa Ana home, his campaign headquarters in Garden Grove and a home in Anaheim listed as belonging to a Nguyen staffer.

Meanwhile, Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., wrote to the U.S. attorney general urging that a federal investigation be completed swiftly.

"This shameful and dishonest scheme to discourage Latino citizens from voting is a blatant violation of the Voting Rights Act, and all those involved should be held accountable as soon as possible," Kennedy said.

Shortly after news of the letter broke Nguyen said he would hold a news conference Friday to explain what had happened. When Friday arrived, however, he didn't show up to meet reporters.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: fakehatecrime; fakehatemail; hatecrime; schwarzenegger; tannguyen
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To: CounterCounterCulture
From the article:

Isabel Procopio, a janitor and volunteer for Strengthening Our Lives, said she was knocking on doors in Garden Grove on Saturday as part of a campaign to encourage voter participation. Of the 30 doors she approached, she found 10 residents who had received the letter. "Many people told me they are really afraid," she said. "They also said they were angry. I'm telling them not to let racist Republicans intimidate us."

Gustavo Arellano, the OC Weekly staffer who writes the syndicated "Ask A Mexican!" column, said the letter would generate a massive backlash among Latino voters, who would be galvanized to defeat Republicans in local elections in November.

Such excitement, huh? Who is doing the hating, I wonder . . .

101 posted on 10/21/2006 10:31:41 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: calcowgirl
I think there's a lot more to this that we're not seeing at the moment. It could get very interesting.
102 posted on 10/21/2006 10:33:28 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (Soros and Clinton's for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington = SCREW.)
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To: CounterCounterCulture
It never fails--someone is there to capitalize on the moment. Bumperstickers, t-shirts, etc. In Spanish or English... a full menu.


103 posted on 10/21/2006 10:35:41 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl

Yes, Claremont. Northridge didn't sound quite right.

That's the gal.


104 posted on 10/21/2006 10:36:41 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: AmeriBrit

Indeed it will!


105 posted on 10/21/2006 10:38:53 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (Our troops will send all of the worlds terrorists to hell in a handbasket with no virgins!)
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To: calcowgirl
The stench just got stronger.
106 posted on 10/21/2006 10:39:28 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (Soros and Clinton's for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington = SCREW.)
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To: calcowgirl

ROTF


107 posted on 10/21/2006 10:39:39 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (Our troops will send all of the worlds terrorists to hell in a handbasket with no virgins!)
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To: AmeriBrit
This story has stunk since day one! The GOP jumping all over the Republican candidate (even though he was a Democrat 2 years ago). The rhetoric of "hate crimes" when there was nothing "hateful" about it (even if it violated the Voting Rights Act). The left mobilizing so quickly. Lockyer sending out his army to raid offices and homes (I don't remember ever hearing of him doing that). The LAPD supposedly being involved in the letter scheme. Etc., etc. etc.

Time will tell! Hopefully they will actually release some facts!!!

108 posted on 10/21/2006 10:47:17 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: FairOpinion; stillonaroll; calcowgirl

Arnold has it in the bag and you need to breath into one for about an hour!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!


109 posted on 10/21/2006 10:54:57 PM PDT by SierraWasp (To be fair, Bill Clinton did more than any other President to protect us from the Branch Davidians!)
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To: calcowgirl
Lockyer sending out his army to raid offices and homes (I don't remember ever hearing of him doing that).

Yeah, what was up with Nguyen calling a news conference, not showing up and instead the cops show up to raid his offices. Someone made sure it would all be televised.

110 posted on 10/21/2006 10:56:44 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: calcowgirl

There's a Javier Gonzalez that just happens to own a website where you can buy t-shirts. Would the name Javier Gonzalez be a common one?


111 posted on 10/21/2006 11:00:16 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (Soros and Clinton's for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington = SCREW.)
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To: La Enchiladita
He scheduled the news conference but got preempted by the raids. The press came to see a news conference and instead got to peer in the windows as agents walked off with boxes and computers.

Some of the press made it sound like he ditched the news conference. I think he was just overwhelmed by events.


112 posted on 10/21/2006 11:00:35 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: SierraWasp

ROFL!


113 posted on 10/21/2006 11:00:58 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: AmeriBrit

Very, very common.


114 posted on 10/21/2006 11:01:48 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: FairOpinion; calcowgirl; Amerigomag
"The point is that Arnold making this comment was a dumb thing to do"(an excerpt)

You can say that again... And again... And again... like everything else you redundantly repeat ad infinitum, even ad nauseum!!!

Could I interest you in a chill pill??? You're gonna really need one at this rate... maybe even a 30 day supply!!!(grin)

115 posted on 10/21/2006 11:04:52 PM PDT by SierraWasp (To be fair, Bill Clinton did more than any other President to protect us from the Branch Davidians!)
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To: La Enchiladita

Frank Barbaro, The Chairman of the Democratic Party of Orange County talks with reporters.

-- Quote from Frank Barbaro when asked why he joined the crowd watching Tan Nguyen's campaign office being raided by officials today:

"If I was in early Rome, I would have gone to see the Christians being eaten."

116 posted on 10/21/2006 11:05:59 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl

Darn!!!


117 posted on 10/21/2006 11:06:18 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (Soros and Clinton's for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington = SCREW.)
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To: calcowgirl

The raid was timed for when the cameras would be there. How convenient.


118 posted on 10/21/2006 11:06:45 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: calcowgirl

Look at the microphones... all the Spanish-language stations.


119 posted on 10/21/2006 11:08:23 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: montag813
if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time

Poorly written. If their point was to include all non-citizens then it should have read "illegal or non-citizen legal immigrant." Of course green-carded immigrants are also not eligible to vote, though naturalized immigrants are.

Arnold is an IDIOT to call this a hate crime.

120 posted on 10/21/2006 11:12:03 PM PDT by Yaelle
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