But Karl Said It Would Be OK

See, here's the problem with immigration. These people come over here, spend a few years learning English by watching TV, then they try to get all American on us.

A republican congressional candidate whose campaign is being investigated for sending intimidating letters to Hispanic voters lashed out at his democratic rival, saying she was fueling the uproar over the mailings. "I know she gets phone calls from Clinton almost every day," said Tan Nguyen about his democratic opponent Representative Loretta Sanchez. "Curt Weldon has her office under surveillance."

"There have been underage children involved so why is there a criminal investigation three weeks prior to a very important election?" Nguyen asked. "I'll tell you why. The leftist police department is in the pocket of the liberal east coast elite, that's why. They're trying to do to me what Hillary did to Tom DeLay. Either that or it's the terrorists."

Nguyen said he would stay in the race despite calls from the state GOP and others to quit. "We got enough problems," said a spokesperson for the RNCC. "Besides, the guy's Asian or something isn't he? How'd he even get in the republican party?"

Nguyen said he did not authorize or approve the letters, which warn in Spanish: "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."

"Hey, do I look like I speak Spanish?" Nguyen asked reporters.

Immigrants who have become naturalized U.S. citizens are eligible to vote. "Oh, yeah. Like I'm supposed to know the voting law applies to all immigrants."


William Braniff, a spokesman for the Nguyen campaign and a former U.S. Attorney, blamed the controversy on the media, whom he said had mistranslated the word "emigrado," which appeared in the Spanish-language letter. "Cripes you guys, this is Califreakinfornia. You should know 'emigrado' means wet back."

Braniff did acknowledge that the letter originated in Nguyen's office. He declined to give further details, citing the ongoing state and federal probes. "Yeah, I think Tan was in the back cooking some rice or something when we wrote it."