Meg Whitman's Husband: It's "Possible" I Saw Letter

Griff

California Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, center, and her husband Griff Harsh, listen to a question a news conference in Santa Monica, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010.

/ AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Griff Harsh, the husband of California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, acknowledged in a statement on Thursday that "it is possible" he received and wrote notes on a letter from the Social Security Administration regarding his former housekeeper, Nicky Diaz Santillan, though he denies any implication of associated wrongdoing.

"While I honestly do not recall receiving this letter, as it was sent to me seven years ago, I can say it is possible that I would've scratched a follow up note on a letter like this, which is a request for information to make certain Nicky received her Social Security benefits and W-2 tax refund for withheld wages," Harsh said in the statement.

Whitman and Harsh have come under intense scrutiny in recent days, after the couple's former housekeeper publicly accused the two of treating her harshly and knowingly employing her as an undocumented immigrant. Whitman denied the claims in a press conference yesterday and said she and her husband "never received those letters."

In a press conference held directly following that of Whitman, Diaz Santillan's lawyer, Gloria Allred, unveiled a letter she claimed proved that Whitman and Harsh were aware of their employee's immigration status. She also said that a handwritten note on the letter, reading "Nicky, please check this, thanks," was Harsh's writing.

But while Harsh admits that may be the case, he argues that the letter held no indication of Diaz Santillan's immigration status. "It is important to note what this letter actually says: 'this letter makes no statement about your employee's immigration status,'" he said in the statement. "Since we believed her to be legal, I would have had no reason to suspect that she would not have filled it in and done what was needed to secure her benefits."

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Gloria Allred Unveils Letter Allegedly Showing Meg Whitman Knew of Housekeeper's Status

Meg Whitman Denies Maid's Claims

Diaz Santillan, who worked as a part-time housekeeper for the Whitman-Harsh household for nine years, was fired in 2009 when she told them she was working in the country illegally and asked for their help acquiring legal status. During her remarks yesterday, Whitman said she was "surprised and shocked" when she learned of her employee's status - and said she would be willing to take a polygraph test to prove it.

Since then, talk radio hosts for Clear Channel KFI-A/Los Angeles John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou have offered to take her up on that proposition.

In the meantime, Whitman's Democratic rival Jerry Brown - whom Whitman has repeatedly targeted as a conspirator behind the accusations against her - issued a statement through his campaign questioning Whitman's ethical credibility, and expressing the hope Diaz Santillan would be treated with "respect and dignity as this story unfolds."

"Once again, Meg Whitman has shown that she thinks the rules don't apply to her," the statement says. "After more than a year of Whitman demanding immigration policy that 'holds employers accountable,' we learn that accountability doesn't extend to her own actions."

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Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[netspert]

Any chance all you mind-readers who KNOW that Meg knew from the start that she hired an illegal are Democrats? Or jealous of her wealth? Or have an explanation why she sent in the SS paperwork and SS taxes if she KNEW?

[JayAdler1]

Were you in conversation with Mag at the beginning concerning this subject or did you talk to any of the parties involved. My advice to you is to not play guessing games with the lives of powerful politicians. That is the trouble with elections in general since 2008. There are not enough informed voters making decisions.

[doctorwho911]

With over 100 Million Mexican border crossings in California and 150 Million border crossing in Texas per year does anyone believe these are tourists or perhaps they are workers coming across the border just to work. SEE DATA here: http://www.transtats.bts.gov/bordercrossing.aspx We Americans are overwhelmed with migrant workers, gardeners, maids and MacDonalds burger fryers all coming to work in the USA. People just hire them thinking since they are here they must be legal it's the system that is flawed not the people. We allow these 100s of Million crossings per year and they we get upset that one Politican hired one of the 250 Million people working here in the USA that are illegal Aliens. STOP the Hipocrisy as everyone in the USA is responsible and until you fire your non english speaking Mexican gardener you are JUST AS GUILTY of hiring illegal aliens.

[Overruled1]

They are only taking back Mexico one home at a time.....

[mary-miami]

Whitman probably knew all along about her maid's immigratory status. Now she denies it because she's a typical right wing hypocrite. Republicans have the mentality that wealthy people are superior to the poor. They are the ones that disregarded all Americans in blue collar jobs and shipped the factories to China. They caused the Depression that Pres.Obama managed to stabilize. The same conservatives that refuse to pay livable wages and complain about the migrants who pick the vegetables that grace their tables...Republicans want a fascist society with only two classes, rich and poor, because they want the child of the servant to serve their kids...a vicious cycle of poverty. As for Whitman's husband...of course he won't say the whole truth, she'll probably make him sleep on the couch if he doesn't back up her story.

[ivyleaf98]

I agree with you so much Mary-Miami. You wrote your statement very weel in a way that makes total sense.

[kimbalips]

Refuse to pay livable wages??? $23/hour is not a livable wage????

[netspert]

The Whitmans had ample evidence of her legality, from both the agency and the employee. Those letters clearly say they are NOT about letgal status; they usually mean there is some transcription error in the number or the name (if it is not exactly identical to their records, they send those letters). Who always uses the exact same version of their name? SSA will not accept Susanne for Suzanne or Tom or Tomas for Thomas; those minor discrepancies are the usual reason for the leters. Had they thought the woman was illegal, they would NOT have been reporting her income or sending in her Payroll Taxes, because that would only serve to highlight the legal status problem, if our government was really awake. Why doesn't someone ask why the US government allowed this discrepancy to stand unquestioned for 9 years - and apparently never would have caught the problem? Instead, we have all those guys in DC looking at porn all day and no one seems to care. But I do have to comment that I am AMAZED at how many mind-readers we have commenting here, who KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY that Meg knew the maid was illegal, despite the proof given her that she was legal. No room for doubt whatsoever! I suspect that Meg was a bit busy worrying about keeping 15,000 OTHER EMPLOYEES busy. I know many of you hate her because she is rich - but how many jobs do you think we will have if we drive all the rich people out of the state? And, BTW, exactly how many jobs has Moonbeam created?

[caruti]

what do all these scandals have in common? ill tell you. this close to an election, noone is discussing how bad of a mess the states and the country are in. are democrats that smart or are we just that stupid?

[caruti]

i read the letter. why isnt anyone discussing the fact that the letter itself states that it is no indication of legal status and warns against taking any actions against the employee? surely i cant be the only one who has actually read it? there is nothing in the letter to incriminate meg whitman. when she stated that she hadnt received the letter gloria allread is talking about, thats true. what allred is describing doesnt exist. this is nothing similar to what allred claims to have been sent.

[kimbalips]

AGREE 100%!! I read the letter as well. If they knew she was illegal, why in the world would the letter still even exist? Wouldn't they destroy it or try and cover it up if they knew she was illegal?

The letter even states that they cannot take adverse action against the employee because of the letter.

What the heck is wrong with people? Why are we not looking at policies??? Why are we resorting to mudslinging??? Maybe because the liberals cannot run on their record!!

[richardbrentm]

If Social Security was withheld and paid to the government then it is obvious that the Whitman and her husband thought that the woman was legal. If there was a letter sent 7 years ago about the woman's status and the Dr. gave it to the worker with the instructions to "follow-up", I think that it is pretty obvious that he thought that it was a minor government screw-up and figured that the woman would clear it up so that she got Social Security credited to her account. Once again, that slimy little Lefty Brown is attempting to change the landscape from his miserable government service to an attempted smear campaign against Meg Whitman. I also heard that the woman was supposed to have been hired through an employment agency, that as a condition of referral, they verified that the potential employee had to show that they were working legally.
This is another reason for the bums in congress need to change E-Verify so that ALL employees have to have their SS# and ID verified. That would have a tremendous effect on the number of *******'s in the U.S. (no work....no come).

[jimatmadison]

The easiest way to slow the flow of illegals into the US to a trickle is for people like Meg Whitman to stop breaking the law and giving them jobs.

If there is a job on the other side, people will find a way over, under, or around a fence.

The Meg Whitmans of America are why we have an illegal immigrant problem.

Why are you righties making excuses for her?

[doctorwho911]

So a lying illegal alien who got to work in the USA says she was treated harshly while working for the Witman's could it be she couldn't speak, read or write in English and couldn't clean the house. What did she think she was a princess now that she came to the USA. Just another good reason never ever hire a Mexican they want to be treated like a princess and then stab you in the back. SEND THE LYING ***** TO PRISON OR DEPORT HER IMMEDIATELY. We don't need lying low lifes like this one in the USA.

[blitzder]

Being in country illegally does not sanction employers of illegals, to treat them like animals or wretched slaves. What happened to 'Give me your wretched, your poor.......' on the Statue of Liberty?.

[doctorwho911]

<<<What happened to 'Give me your wretched, your poor.......' on the Statue of Liberty?.>>>
Written by the FRENCH not an American.