Meg Whitman vs. her illegal housekeeper

The GOP candidate for governor in California fights back against allegations that she knowingly employed an illegal Mexican immigrant

Meg Whitman
(Image credit: Getty)

California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is fighting "startling accusations" that she knowingly employed an illegal immigrant as her housekeeper, even though she publicly advocates tougher penalties for businesses that hire undocumented workers. Gloria Allred, a high-profile Los Angeles attorney, held a press conference with Whitman's former employee, Nicky Diaz Santillan, sobbing at her side, and accused Whitman of ignoring a warning from the IRS that the woman's name didn't match her Social Security number, then firing Diaz and tossing her out like "garbage" when, after nine years of service, she confessed she was in the U.S. illegally. Whitman called Allred's charges a politically motivated "lie." Will the accusations hurt Whitman's campaign?

This is bound to hurt Whitman: With polls showing Whitman, a Republican, running neck-and-neck with Democrat Jerry Brown, says Liz Goodman at Yahoo! News, this bombshell can only do Whitman's campaign harm. Any hint that Whitman knew her Mexican housekeeper was here illegally will cost her support from "conservative anti-illegal immigration voters." But if she pushes back too hard against Diaz, Whitman can say goodbye to crucial Latino voters.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up