AG: Voter warning linked to GOP campaign
SANTA ANA, Calif. - State investigators have linked a Republican campaign to letters sent to thousands of Southern California Hispanics warning them they could go to jail or be deported if they vote next month, a spokesman for the attorney general said.
"We have identified where we believe the mailing list was obtained," said Nathan Barankin, spokesman for Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
He declined to identify the specific Republican campaign Wednesday, citing the ongoing investigation. The Los Angeles Times and The Orange County Register both reported Thursday that the investigation appeared to be focused on the campaign of Tan D. Nguyen, a Republican challenger to Democratic U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez.
The letter, written in Spanish, tells recipients: "You are advised that if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time."
In fact, immigrants who are naturalized U.S. citizens can vote.
Complaints about the letters this week prompted state and federal investigations, and Barankin said investigators had been questioning people in Orange County.
The two newspapers reported state investigators had found the location where the letters were printed and mailed to an estimated 14,000 Democratic voters in central Orange County. The Los Angeles Times, citing an unnamed source, said authorities had interviewed Nguyen at his office.
Nguyen did not return messages left by The Associated Press or either newspaper. Sanchez also did not return messages seeking comment.
The owner of Huntington Beach-based Mailing Pros, Christopher West, told The Orange County Register that he didn't know any laws were being broken when the mailer was sent. He said he gave investigators the name of the person who hired him to do the mailings but declined to provide that the name to the newspaper.
"I'm the one that processed it, and I don't read Spanish," West said. "Until the investigator read it to me, I didn't know the content."
Scott Baugh, chairman of the Orange County Republican Party, condemned the letter as "an obnoxious, grotesque piece of work."
"Regardless of who did it — Republican or Democrat — if it's a crime, then whoever did it should be prosecuted," Baugh said.
A group of six Vietnamese-American political candidates running for offices in Orange County issued a joint statement saying: "The content of this mailer is offensive to the immigrant voters, regardless of their ethnicity."
The note's letterhead resembles that of an anti-illegal immigration group, California Coalition for Immigration Reform, but group leader Barbara Coe said she told investigators for the attorney general's office Wednesday that her group didn't authorize the letter and she didn't know who sent it.
"The letterhead was altered and I've never head of any Sergio Ramirez," the name signed to the letter, Coe said.
Numerous political leaders including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have denounced the letter and called for the investigations.
Full Version: Letter Warning Hispanic Voters Linked
Republicans trying to supress the vote....again.
It appears that little dirty trick brought them some legal attention: 
Calif. candidate's office, home raided
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. - For two days, a Republican congressional candidate had promised to explain how a threatening letter was sent by his campaign without his knowledge to thousands of Hispanic immigrant voters. As about 200 people gathered Friday in front of his campaign headquarters seeking answers, Tan D. Nguyen was a no-show at his own news conference. Instead, 10 uniformed California Department of Justice police officers arrived with a search warrant and pounded on the glass of Nguyen's storefront headquarters.
Agents spent two hours sifting through cabinets, boxes and computers. They left carrying several boxes and plastic bags of evidence.
Hours later, they searched a home in nearby Anaheim listed as belonging to one of Nguyen's staffers, emerging with a computer hard drive and a small box. Nguyen's neighbors in a gated community in Santa Ana said law enforcement officers also spent several hours searching his home.
Nguyen, a Vietnamese immigrant trying to unseat a popular Democratic incumbent, has acknowledged his campaign sent the letter, which wrongly said immigrants could be jailed if they voted. He blamed an unidentified staffer whom he said he has fired.
Nguyen has resisted calls from leaders in his own party to quit the race, saying he did not approve the letter and did not know about it.
Many mulling around his office Friday were supporters.
"He's the No. 1 man because his No. 1 issue is kicking out all the illegals," said Ernie Sqarlata, 86.
State and federal officials have been investigating the mailing for possible violations of election or civil rights law. It is illegal to use threats to try to dissuade anyone from voting.
The letter, written in Spanish, was mailed to an estimated 14,000 Democratic voters in Orange County. It warns, "You are advised that if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time."
In fact, immigrants who are adult naturalized citizens are eligible to vote. Secretary of State Bruce McPherson said Friday his office will send letters to homes that received the mailing to clarify voters' rights.
Nguyen's attorney, David Wiechert, cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
"A search doesn't mean the person whose office is being searched is guilty," said Wiechert, standing outside Nguyen's office. "This is a political firestorm of high-ranking Republicans and Democrats speculating about an investigation they have no knowledge of."
Orange County Republican Chairman Scott Baugh has said that after speaking with state investigators and the company that distributed the mailing, he believes Nguyen expedited the "obnoxious and reprehensible" letter. The party's executive committee voted unanimously to urge Nguyen to drop out, he said.
State Democratic Chairman Art Torres said party leaders were planning a rally for Orange County on Tuesday. "It's a hate crime as far as we are concerned," Torres said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he planned to visit the country and meet with Hispanic leaders Saturday.
Phil Angelides, the Democratic candidate for governor, said: "They've got a real problem. They've got to clean it up because it's not good for California."
Illegal immigration has been a centerpiece of Nguyen's campaign to oust Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a five-term congresswoman.
Nguyen was born in 1973 in Vietnam, where his family fled the communist regime. In 2004, he unsuccessfully ran in the Democratic primary to challenge GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. He later changed his party affiliation and declared his bid to upset Sanchez.
On Friday, Hispanic and Vietnamese leaders joined the chorus condemning the letter, saying it should not become a wedge that drives their communities apart.
"This letter reminds us of what we were running away from in Vietnam, where people can't vote the way they want," said Xuyen Dong, who heads the Orange County chapter of the Vietnamese Professional Society.
More info on the candidate: http://65.45.193.26:8026/cms/acct/tan4congress/main/
Calif. candidate's office, home raided
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. - For two days, a Republican congressional candidate had promised to explain how a threatening letter was sent by his campaign without his knowledge to thousands of Hispanic immigrant voters. As about 200 people gathered Friday in front of his campaign headquarters seeking answers, Tan D. Nguyen was a no-show at his own news conference. Instead, 10 uniformed California Department of Justice police officers arrived with a search warrant and pounded on the glass of Nguyen's storefront headquarters.
Agents spent two hours sifting through cabinets, boxes and computers. They left carrying several boxes and plastic bags of evidence.
Hours later, they searched a home in nearby Anaheim listed as belonging to one of Nguyen's staffers, emerging with a computer hard drive and a small box. Nguyen's neighbors in a gated community in Santa Ana said law enforcement officers also spent several hours searching his home.
Nguyen, a Vietnamese immigrant trying to unseat a popular Democratic incumbent, has acknowledged his campaign sent the letter, which wrongly said immigrants could be jailed if they voted. He blamed an unidentified staffer whom he said he has fired.
Nguyen has resisted calls from leaders in his own party to quit the race, saying he did not approve the letter and did not know about it.
Many mulling around his office Friday were supporters.
"He's the No. 1 man because his No. 1 issue is kicking out all the illegals," said Ernie Sqarlata, 86.
State and federal officials have been investigating the mailing for possible violations of election or civil rights law. It is illegal to use threats to try to dissuade anyone from voting.
The letter, written in Spanish, was mailed to an estimated 14,000 Democratic voters in Orange County. It warns, "You are advised that if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time."
In fact, immigrants who are adult naturalized citizens are eligible to vote. Secretary of State Bruce McPherson said Friday his office will send letters to homes that received the mailing to clarify voters' rights.
Nguyen's attorney, David Wiechert, cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
"A search doesn't mean the person whose office is being searched is guilty," said Wiechert, standing outside Nguyen's office. "This is a political firestorm of high-ranking Republicans and Democrats speculating about an investigation they have no knowledge of."
Orange County Republican Chairman Scott Baugh has said that after speaking with state investigators and the company that distributed the mailing, he believes Nguyen expedited the "obnoxious and reprehensible" letter. The party's executive committee voted unanimously to urge Nguyen to drop out, he said.
State Democratic Chairman Art Torres said party leaders were planning a rally for Orange County on Tuesday. "It's a hate crime as far as we are concerned," Torres said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he planned to visit the country and meet with Hispanic leaders Saturday.
Phil Angelides, the Democratic candidate for governor, said: "They've got a real problem. They've got to clean it up because it's not good for California."
Illegal immigration has been a centerpiece of Nguyen's campaign to oust Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a five-term congresswoman.
Nguyen was born in 1973 in Vietnam, where his family fled the communist regime. In 2004, he unsuccessfully ran in the Democratic primary to challenge GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. He later changed his party affiliation and declared his bid to upset Sanchez.
On Friday, Hispanic and Vietnamese leaders joined the chorus condemning the letter, saying it should not become a wedge that drives their communities apart.
"This letter reminds us of what we were running away from in Vietnam, where people can't vote the way they want," said Xuyen Dong, who heads the Orange County chapter of the Vietnamese Professional Society.
More info on the candidate: http://65.45.193.26:8026/cms/acct/tan4congress/main/
People really need to look at the Republican Party and see what it represents. The worst in America.
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