A late campaign hit with Gloria Allred as part of it … I’ve lived through this before during the Schwarzenegger 2003 gubernatorial campaign. As in that instance, it will take a few days to play out and see what is behind the revelation. But like the 2003 media circus over Schwarzenegger’s interaction with some women during his movie career, the late hit raises many questions.
The one thing that is unclear in housekeeper Nicandra Diaz-Santillan’s story is her statement that she revealed to Meg Whitman and her husband in 2009 that she was not here legally while at the same time Diaz-Santillan’s lawyer, Allred, charges that Whitman and her husband knew all along of her status. That doesn’t compute.
If Whitman and the hiring agency checked all Diaz-Santillan’s papers and they appeared in order there was nothing else Whitman need do.
Over last weekend I heard a rumor that this week would produce a hit against Whitman’s personal life, but since it was a rumor, I dismissed it. Now here it is, obviously in the works for a while and seemingly part of a larger strategy. As Gloria Allred said on KABC radio this morning: "This is in the court of public opinion."
Sounds like a political play to me.
Suspicion has been raised that the intent of this revelation is aimed at weakening Whitman’s efforts to make inroads in the Latino community. Depending how this all plays out the gambit could well backfire as did the late hit in the 2003 gubernatorial election.
We’ll wait to hear more.