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Meg Whitman's Husband Responds to Allegations, Says it was 'Possible' he Saw the Letter
The ball is now back in attorney Gloria Allred's court. Dr. Griff Harsh, the husband of Republican gubernatorial candidate and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, this afternoon released a statement regarding today's allegation that he knew their housekeeper was an illegal immigrant for at least seven years. A letter apparently from the Social Security Administration notified the couple in 2003 that Nicky Diaz's name and submitted social security number did not match. Dr. Harsh allegedly wrote "Nicky, please check this, thanks" on the letter and left it at that.
When news broke yesterday that Whitman and her husband were accused of knowingly hiring an illegal immigrant, she outright denied it. But Allred today produced the Social Seucirty document that apparently proves the couple -- or at least her husband -- knew about it. With today's news, Dr. Harsh now says it was "possible" he saw the Social Security letter.
"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," he said in a statement released shortly before 3 p.m. "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."
Dr. Harsh emphasized that letter said "'this letter makes no statement about your employee's immigration status."
The rest of his statement is below:
The essential fact remains the same, neither Meg nor I believed there was a problem with Nicky's legal status and I certainly don't recall ever discussing it with my wife, nor did I ever show her any letter about it. The facts of this matter are very clear: Ms. Diaz broke the law and lied to us and to the employment agency. When she confessed her deception to us last year, we ended her employment immediately. Meg and I played by the rules and followed the law. Ms. Diaz did not. If, as she claims, she received this letter and note of inquiry from me, she never answered my request to look into this. Instead, she choose to continue her deception. This entire matter is a sad one and it's timing is clearly the result of a calculated and cynical political smear by Meg's opponents.
Allred earlier today said she has even more evidence. Tick, tock.
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