Brown, Whitman heatedly debate illegal immigration

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Los Angeles Times

By Seema Mehta and Michael J. Mishak, Story posted 2010.10.02 at 06:44 PM PDT

Reporting from Fresno-- 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."

The 60-minute debate, held on the Cal State Fresno campus, was much more confrontational and their accusations much more personal than their first meeting, which took place Tuesday night at UC Davis.

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...link to complete article