Brown, Whitman heatedly debate illegal immigration

Los Angeles Times ^ | October 2, 2010 | Seema Mehta and Michael J. Mishak

[Southnsoul]

Gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown tangled Saturday over Whitman's employment of an illegal immigrant housekeeper, exchanging blistering jabs as they met for their second televised debate.

The most direct confrontation between the two candidates of the election season came when the moderator asked Whitman about revelations earlier this week that she employed Nicandra Diaz Santillan, whom she fired in 2009 after nine years. Whitman has denied knowing that Diaz Santillan was undocumented until shortly before she was dismissed.

Whitman turned to face Brown and accused him of being behind Diaz Santillan's emergence.

"Jerry, you should be ashamed," Whitman said. "You and your surrogates put her deportation at risk. You put her out there. You should be ashamed for sacrificing Nicky Diaz on the altar of your political ambitions."

Brown denied involvement and countered that Whitman has repeatedly called for employers to be held responsible for their hires. He said she was failing to take responsibility for her actions.

"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,' " he said. "You have blamed her, blamed me, blamed the left, blamed the unions, but you don't take accountability."

Saturday's debate was filmed midday, with questions posed in Spanish and simultaneously translated for the candidates. It was aired later, online and on Univision stations, after Spanish voiceovers were added to the candidate responses.

The meeting was plagued by technical difficulties. Immediately after the tense exchange about the housekeeper, the translation system stopped working, and both candidates were taken off stage for half an hour and placed in separate holding areas.

[screaminsunshine]

You know you have a problem when American debates have to be broadcast in Spanish.

[Southnsoul]

Yes.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Seems to me that Brown has some ILLEGAL alien worker problems on his staff. Sacramento AM1380 talk show host Eric Hogue has some news about that..

Jerry Brown Surrogate Hired “Illegal”?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Either Brown is in on the maid scandal or Gloria Allred has horribly abused her client and committed serious ethical breaches by putting her client in jeopardy of being charges with a felony AND being deported.

[jocon307]

“...putting her client in jeopardy of being charges with a felony AND being deported.”

Both of which should happen IMMEDIATELY. Then Allred can be disbarred and the world will become a better place. Maybe then Allred can get a job cleaning houses.

[Humble Servant]

I’m just dying to see the polls on this about mid-week.

[Gator113]

I think both.

[telebob]

Of course Brown is in on it. He used the same talking points in the debate as Allred has been using.

When the truth comes out, Jerry will be about i° removed from the conspirators.

[Othniel]

Whitman should POUND Brown about the fact that he is very selective about the laws he chooses to enforce. As CA atty. general, he should be unbiased in his enforcement of the laws of the state, but he's not. He goes after developers for environmental paperwork, changes the wording and titles of propositions so as to deceieve the voters, and Mickey Mouses around while the Central Valley rots under a little-fishy caused drought. "If Jerry Brown is such a good guy, why didn't he find this woman, deport her, and attach a big fine to my caboose? The fact that this woman was my housekeeper for years, even though she is an illegal, speaks volumes about Brown's attitude toward the laws of this state!" Y'hear me, Whitman? Say that! Lay into the ba$t@rd so that nobody will vote for him to be dogcatcher!!

A guy can dream, can't he?

[Vaduz]

Someone should have yelled INS a few times and thay wouldn’t have had to bother with it,the joint would have been empty.

[Domangart]

Jerry and his rats want anyone who has a Spanish background to have a through background investigation.