October 24, 2006

"Democrats point fingers at GOP"

"A host of statewide Democratic candidates gathered at the old county courthouse Monday and accused Republican officials for creating a climate that contributed to a controversial mailer advising immigrants against voting.

"It's part of a national strategy," gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides said. "We've seen it time and time again."

Angelides pointed to a GOP tactic from 1988 in which uniformed guards were posted outside polling stations and advised voters that illegal immigrants could not vote.

Monday's rally came just as county supervisors are preparing today to debate whether to send a clarification to the 14,000 Latino Democrats targeted by a mailer sent out by the campaign of Republican congressional candidate Tan Nguyen.

Nguyen ended nearly a week of silence on Sunday by holding a press conference blaming the controversy on a bad English translation of his mailer. Nguyen's attorney said the word "emigrado" in the letter should not be taken to mean immigrant, but instead someone in the process of legalization."

Posted by Randy Riddle at October 24, 2006 08:49 AM