October 1, 2010

CNN reporting on Gloria Allred reads like a press release — an embarrassingly written press release.

Apparently, CNN is shameless. Its headline is "Gloria Allred is a girl's best friend." Text highlights:
Her clients include mistresses, starlets and allegedly wronged women from all walks of life. So, when Gloria Allred calls a news conference, media types know they're about to hear some dish.

So it was on Wednesday, when Allred and her latest client tossed a big, juicy curve ball into the tight California governor's race.
So so so... dish me you dish, juicy curvy CNN, you big slut.
Nicandra Diaz Santillan blotted tears from her eyes as Allred announced she'd be filing a claim against her client's former employer, Republican candidate Meg Whitman, accusing her of emotional abuse and financial exploitation....
Emotional abuse and financial exploitation? Clue me in, CNN. I'm just a law professor. Are those real torts in California? Contracts claims? Or are these just Wrongs Against Women in some Allred-y scheme of causes for press conferences that make CNN reporters drool?
To say Allred, 69, is well-known is an understatement. 
To say CNN is a news organization is an overstatement.

86 comments:

Big Mike said...

Good on you, Professor.

Lincolntf said...

She (Allred) was on one of the talk radio shows last night. Good lord, what a maroon.
As has been hashed out in previous threads, Meg Whitman did nothing wrong and the woman pathetically weeping is an identity thief and a longtime fraud.
Whitman may not win the race, but I doubt that even Californians are dense enough to let this non-story be the deciding factor.

SteveR said...

Ms. Santillan, in spite of what you've been told, you were actually and throughly exploited yesterday.

Scott M said...

To say Allred, 69, is well-known is an understatement.

To say CNN is a news organization is an overstatement.


Neither statement, though, addresses the fact that this dirty pool might just work. I'm not aware of the merits of this case. FLS and others were beating each other bloggingly about the head and shoulders with documents in another thread yesterday and it appears there's definitely some debate to be had. However, I'd have to say that October surprises have their place.

If someone running for office has screwed up in a way that relates to their ability to function in the desired office, it doesn't matter WHEN that information is released, truth being a bright light and all that.

kjbe said...

Snap!

jayne_cobb said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kimsch said...

Financially exploited at $23 an hour. Fired when the Whitman's were told - by Ms Diaz - that she was illegal.

wv: undewf

Anonymous said...

If you listened to Allred's interview with Mark Levin, you heard that the underlying claim being brought is an overtime and expense reimbursement complaint with the Department of Labor.

And for that (and Allred's political objective, for which this woman is a mere disposable prop) Allred may have violated her professional ethical duty to her client, by outing her client as an illegal alien that violated a federal statute for falsifying a social security card.

Drew said...

This is the first I've heard of the "emotional abuse and financial exploitation" charges. I thought it was just that Whitman unknowingly hired an illegal immigrant because the lady faked her papers. Is that inherently emotional abuse?

I just wasn't made for these times.

jayne_cobb said...

If even the famously eeyorish AllahPundit isn't worried about this story I'm pretty sure it will disappear within a week.

Unless this is all the opposition has, in that case it is going to be like the WaPo going on and on about a college thesis.

traditionalguy said...

The political Campaign Committee of the Democrat Party has body snatched CNN, again. Total sci-fi fiction is taking over. The more false the Big Lie being told is, the easier it is to mind control listeners with it. A half truth is easier to disbelieve than a total fiction construct which is hard to dismiss since human minds presume some fire where there is a News Report about smoke. Al Gore's gang did well using the same mind control methods. The confusion it causes cannot be cleared up until context is added which takes time and a competing media outlet. We need a President that will talk back with truth...maybe an Alaskan Grizzlie bear.

Lincolntf said...

I listened to the interview on Levin, and it was clear to me that Allred cast about for anything villainous in Meg's treatment of her maid and found nothing. So she was reduced to claiming that the criminal alien was not being properly reimbursed for mileage while she was defrauding her employer. Wow.

While I know it's natural for Liberals to destroy the lives of the people they are pretending to serve, shouldn't Allred be disciplined by the Bar for this obvious manipulation/abuse of her client?

DaveW said...

Reynolds linked to Jacobson today saying Alred has exposed her client to criminal charges for no reason. I was expecting them to call it malpractice but I guess that's too much to ask of lawyers.

She's likely broken a host of laws, immigration, forged documents, identity theft and was getting away with that until Alred trotted her out for this stunt. Maybe she'll continue to get away with it because of her high profile now but that doesn't excuse Alred exposing her as a an unprosecuted criminal on national TV.

/shrug

Californians can decide what to think about all this in the context of their governor's race.

Rialby said...

If California reelects Jerry Spaceman Brown to the Governor's office, Californians deserve what they will get.

Unfortunately, their ineptitude on a massive scale will have to be paid off by the residents of other, far more rational states. That sickens me.

Capt. Schmoe said...

Gloria Allred exemplifies the term "media whore" far better than Paris Hilton or any of the Kardashians.

Those if us who live in California, are all too familiar with Gloria and her grandstanding tactics which appear to be more about keeping her in front of the camera than anything else.

She is probably the most despised woman in the state, hatred for her spans the cultural and political spectrum.

The Brown camp is laying low on this, hoping that no one comes up with a formal connection between this latest Allred stunt and his campaign. If one is found, Gloria's carefully orchestrated plan will surely backfire.

john said...

So how did Allred get the 7 year old letter from Social Security?

This is to keep Whitman distracted and on the defensive for the next month, and will cost her a couple of percentage points in the vote. If the election tips in favor of Brown, then the maid will have again served her purpose.

Hagar said...

CNN is over the top, but the rest of the alphabet soup also presented this as if there was something to it - without going into the details that show that there isn't, of course.

4 weeks to election, and they are in campaign mode.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Allred is not irresponsible for outing her client's immigration status! Now if Ms. Santillan had driven ten miles over the speed limit or shoplifted a pack of Jujubes, that would be illegal!

Hagar said...

John,

My undestanding from reading other blog threads is that the instructions going with this sort of notice from the IRS say to notify the employee there is a discrepancy in his/her IRS records and the employee should contact the IRS about it.

Apparently Mr. Whitman followed the instructions and Allred got the note from Ms. Diaz, who still had it.

Hagar said...

Oops, I think the notice in question was from the Social Security Administration rather than the IRS.

Michael K said...

The Hugh Hewitt interview of Gloria is amusing. She did this to Schwarzennegger right before his first election. Some woman accused him of sexual abuse. Hugh asked Gloria how her client made out after the election. Did she go on with the case against Arnold ? No answer and she finally hung up. That stunt was more believable than this one.

cryptical said...

Since Jerry Brown is still the Attorney General for CA, I'm sure he'll get right on prosecuting the maid for immigration fraud and document forgery.

Anonymous said...

"Some woman accused him of sexual abuse."

IIRC, at least 6 women accused Schwarzenegger of sexual misconduct.

Unknown said...

Michael said...

The Hugh Hewitt interview of Gloria is amusing. She did this to Schwarzennegger right before his first election.

I believe she's on record as saying something to the effect that, since she couldn't get Arnie, she's going to bring down Whitman. She's an old stalking horse for the Demos and a hard-core Lefty activist.

In addition to being the publicity whore all agree she is.

Kirby Olson said...

WSJ's coverage of story was to chuckle about Allred (her actual name).

J Lee said...

Given how much she even makes people on the left cringe with her self-promotional actions, I think everyone would be happy if this whole kefuffle ended with with Santillan staying in the country while Gloria Allred is deported.

chickelit said...

I'm glad this smear against Whitman has time to be out and to fail before the election.

Kind of dreading what else the entrenched powers will whip out next before November but everything seems at stake for them. I don't think they really know what they are riding out here.

And yes, good on you Althouse for calling out Allred and CNN.

exhelodrvr1 said...

Lincolntf,
"I doubt that even Californians are dense enough to let this non-story be the deciding factor."

Don't tempt us!

chickelit said...

cryptical wrote: Since Jerry Brown is still the Attorney General for CA, I'm sure he'll get right on prosecuting the maid for immigration fraud and document forgery.

Actually, his best PR move at this point would be to do something exactly along those lines.

Anonymous said...

Once again, Professor Althouse is misleading readers of this blog by suggesting that, in the linked article, CNN is reporting the news of the recent Allred case. In fact, the referenced story is one of a series of profiles of "lawyers to the stars" that appears in the "Entertainment" section of CNN.com. From the blurb that precedes the profile:

"You've seen them walking their famous clients into court. But they have to be much more than celebrity hand-holders, and the stakes are high. There are images to protect, careers to save. In this series, CNN.com covers the world of the lawyers to the stars.

For the record, here is a link to a CNN.com news story about the matter.

DADvocate said...

My undestanding from reading other blog threads is that the instructions going with this sort of notice from the IRS say to notify the employee there is a discrepancy in his/her IRS records and the employee should contact the IRS about it.

I read some stuff too. I got the impression that Whitman had recieved a letter from the SSA and that Allred now had it, which seems would have had to involve some sort of theft.

Drew said...

"Fake, but accurate! Fake, but accurate!"

chickelit said...

OMG, it's Cyruspinkerton-back after what--two or three years?

This should be an interesting...

Robert Holmgren said...

Back in the 1990s I was assigned to photograph Allred for Fortune Magazine. The story was concerned with a private men's athletic club in San Francisco and Allred's objections to these policies. Even though Allred was asked to pose for still photos outside the club, she was unable to restain herself from loudly scolding every man who entered.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Like Sgt Friday, I say just give me the facts please. I rarely watch a news program without asking myself ask why they did not ask x and y and z. Then I smack myself upside the head and remember that the news readers are generally dumb and have an agenda.

Chase said...

Gloria Allred exemplifies the term "media whore" far better than Paris Hilton or any of the Kardashians.

Why embellish it with the term "media"?

gk1 said...

If my lefty friend out in the bay area are any indication this ginned up story is all the excuse now they need to vote for brown. Their anger when I ask them why the illegal alien with forged papers is not the wrong doer in the situation tells me all I need to know. My only satisfaction at this point will be to see california file for bankruptsy with a democratic statehouse and a democratic governor.

Chase said...

Here is the Hugh Hewitt interview where Gloria Allred was handed her Ass back to her in a paper bag.

She is such a slippery snake. But she couldn't get away with it this time. Hewitt treats every interview like a deposition, leading idiots like Allred to their unwitting public slaughter.

Fantastic.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

gk1,

If my lefty friend out in the bay area are any indication this ginned up story is all the excuse now they need to vote for brown.

If lefties in the Bay area needed an excuse to vote for Brown, then Brown's got a bigger problem than Whitman does.

SteveR said...

Where's Mortimer and Quoxxo?

MadisonMan said...

Chase, that is a great audio link. Thanks!

Amartel said...

Projection much? The only person financially exploiting and emotionally abusing Santillian is the beastly Allred. Allred is in gross violation of professional ethical standards with regards to her ethical duties to Santillian, her de jure client. Her de facto client is Jerry Brown, of course, so she has just a bit of a conflict situation. Hmm, wonder if she disclosed this conflict to her client? Allred is a Jerry Brown campaign contributor and a former employee of Brown. She pulls stunts like this in every election for her Democratic overlords and profits off of sluts and nuts in non-election years. Allred is everything that is wrong with the legal profession. She doesn't even know the law she is exploiting. (See Hewitt interview, http://hughhewitt.com/blog/g/c7fb98f4-0782-472e-95a3-76715b95cee1).
Hideous.
Hewitt scores lots of great points, including that an employer can do no right under the law in the situation in which Whitman found herself. You can't fire someone for mere suspicion of being an illegal alien or you'll be subjected to a lawsuit. You can't keep them on without violating a raft of laws that place the burden on the employer to do the gov't's dirty work. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Chase said...

Gloria Allred is doing more to drive illegal immigrants underground and to target Latinos for racial profiling than anything the State of Arizona has even thought of doing.


The other interesting aspect, quite apart from politics, is
Allred's willingness to expose her client to legal harm even though the client does not have any meaningful legal claim. This is not a case where Allred's client is a crime victim who comes forward to the police. There does not appear to be a violation of any law by Whitman, but there does appear to be both immigration and possibly criminal violations by Allred's client, who filed false documents with the government. By going public as she has, Allred has exposed her client to significant legal jeopardy in order to score publicity and political points for Allred.

Anonymous said...

Hewitt is incredibly unimpressive in the interview linked by Chase. He doesn't learn a single thing from Allred that isn't already a matter of public record.

"Badgering the witness" is not generally a good technique for interviewing lawyers. On the other hand, I doubt Hewitt's goal was to conduct an intelligent, enlightening interview. Undoubtedly he wanted to entertain his core audience, but that just makes him another one of the right wing radio clowns.

rcocean said...

According to the FCC - Allred has donated $20,000 to political candidates - 99 percent to Democrats. She gave money to Clinton, Boxer, Finestein, and Obama.

Jim Treacher said...

"Hewitt is incredibly unimpressive in the interview linked by Chase. He doesn't learn a single thing from Allred that isn't already a matter of public record."

Well, I don't think he's allowed to use sodium pentathol.

Cyrus Pinkerton said...

Finestein?

Do you mean Feinstein?

Cyrus Pinkerton said...

Well, I don't think he's allowed to use sodium pentathol.

Yeah, I agree, he's a terrible interviewer.

Cyrus Pinkerton said...

According to Fundrace, 100% of Hugh Hewitt's political contributions since 2004 have gone to Republican candidates.

Cyrus Pinkerton said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Revenant said...

So far as I can tell, both Whitman and the US government have legitimate criminal and civil complaints against Santillan. Santillan doesn't appear to have any legitimate complaint against Whitman.

Isn't Allred endangering her client?

LonewackoDotCom said...

Althouse is, of course, confused.

First, her post is going to have no impact on CNN whatsoever. She doesn't know how to do things in the right way. I know how to do things in the right way, but I can't get any help from those who should be helping me, such as r/w bloggers or even the teaparty "patriots". I and they share many opponents, and helping me discredit those opponents would help them. But, their various issues prevent them from helping me in effect help them.

Second, the linked post is obviously not news, it's just a lightweight profile. If Althouse is going to take the time to discuss something, she should try to stick to actual news stories not fluff.

P.S. Check my site for more on Meg, including things you won't read from her supporters or her other opponents.

chickelit said...

Where's Mortimer and Quoxxo?

They'll be rolled out later in the month I'm sure as part of an October surprise on Althouse.

Sisyphus said...

It's too bad that Ms. Santillan is likely the one with the claim against Allred for her ethics breach in knowingly and intentionally exposing her client to criminal prosecution. It would be good for the majority of ethical attorneys out there to get a client-exploiting publicity hound like her dinged by the state bar.

BJM said...

Allred's Sturm und Drang signifies less than nothing, for even if Whitman wins the Dems have control of the state legislature.

Any governor who attempts to roll back CA state employee wages/benefits/pensions and/or public assistance benefits will be stabbed in the back and the front.

We are now at day 93 without a budget and cannot meet October payments. Sacto is expected to issue $3B in IOUs to contractors and suppliers this week and it's not clear what they intend to do about state payroll and public benefits. The last time they issued IOUs there was a huge stink as many banks refused to honor them or only advanced pennies on the dollar.

As much as it pains me to admit, with Sacto in denial all that remains is for the Feds to proffer the taxpayer teat and with 55 electoral votes, bail us out they will.

Cedarford said...

J Lee said...
Given how much she even makes people on the left cringe with her self-promotional actions, I think everyone would be happy if this whole kefuffle ended with with Santillan staying in the country while Gloria Allred is deported.
=====================
Deport them both. The illegal to Mexico, Allred to Israel. Win-win for America, as Santillan is no desirable saint, either.
If Israel objects and says they want one exception to Right of Return as a favor, deport Allred to Afghanistan, never to be heard from again. They would either deal with her immediately as soon as she opens her mouth, or if she is lucky, she gets slapped in a Burqua, told to shut up, clean fresh Afghan semen off the family goat daily, and fight for whatever table scraps the other 5 wives higher on the pecking order leave her.

Known Unknown said...

CNN should not confuse the subject wherein using Allred and the current case as a 'celebrity lawyer' in the Entertainment section.

It's just an excuse to produce the slanted drivel Althouse questions, but give it a context that says "this is just fluff, in our Entertainment section." And it's bullshit. Thanks, Professor, for calling CNN out on it.

Allred's current client is no celebrity, and this 'case' has nothing to do with entertainment.

In fact, Allred is not entertaining in the least.

Jim said...

File a complaint against Allred with the California Bar here.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Whitman accidentally hired an illegal alien because the woman presented false papers and lied on her application.

Oh NOES.....this has never ever happened in the State of California. No one has ever in the entire history of the State of California hired an illegal immigrant. Meg must be disqualified.

Roger J. said...

"According to Fundrace, 100% of Hugh Hewitt's political contributions since 2004 have gone to Republican candidates." And according to recent study that I am too lazy to look up, 88% of all media contricutions went to democratic candidates. I am shocked, I tell you shocked, to think that reporters may be politically biased. Other than a remarkable example of a tu quoque argument, I am not sure exactly what Mr Hewitt's contribution preferences have to do with the truth or falisity of his claims.

Roger J. said...

And actually, to be more correct, the assertion against Mr Hewitt is an ad hominem and mine in his defense is a tu quoque.

Not that rhetorical rectitude really means anything.

Anonymous said...

I rode in an elevator with Super Glo at the Torrance courthouse once. Heaviest makeup I'd ever seen.

The Crack Emcee said...

Are those real torts in California?

Is that a real poncho or a Sears poncho? (Sorry, couldn't help it,...)

Gloria Allred is a bottom-feeder extraordinaire. Everyone else seems to have caught the BS here - outting her client, etc. - so I'll merely add my name to those wishing to deport Allred and keeping a(nother) "wise latina".

Rialby,

If California reelects Jerry Spaceman Brown to the Governor's office, Californians deserve what they will get.

They got rid of the uber-competent Gray Davis for the star power of Arnold - and got nothing in return but a billion dollar election bill. And, like the election of Barack Obama, it was celebrated.

My money's on Brown.

Cyrus Pinkerton said...

I am not sure exactly what Mr Hewitt's contribution preferences have to do with the truth or falisity of his claims.

I am not sure exactly what Gloria Allred's contribution preferences have to do with the merits of the case. That's why I responded to rcocean's comment (According to the FCC - Allred has donated $20,000 to political candidates - 99 percent to Democrats. She gave money to Clinton, Boxer, Finestein, and Obama.) as I did.

Reading comments in context is very helpful to understanding.

Roger J. said...

Then perhaps, Mr Pinkerton, we can agree that to whom one gives political contributions has no bearing on the truth or falisty of the claims one makes. That seems to me to be the larger context of the arguments espoused. Of course your take may be different.

Cyrus Pinkerton said...

Deport them both... Allred to Israel.

I don't know why anyone tolerates Cedarford's disgusting comments.

Roger J. said...

BTW its good to see you back after a long absence.

Cyrus Pinkerton said...

Then perhaps, Mr Pinkerton, we can agree that to whom one gives political contributions has no bearing on the truth or falisty of the claims one makes.

That's been my position all along.

Cyrus Pinkerton said...

Thanks Roger. It's good to see that you're still here.

Roger J. said...

Cyrus--less so alas. It seems at my advanced age I have chosed to take up golf--which is now consuming a considerable amount of my time and treasure. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm not aware of the merits of this case.

There are none - other than a lawyer putting her client's head on the chopping block.

The Crack Emcee said...

They got rid of the uber-competent Gray Davis for the star power of Arnold - and got nothing in return but a billion dollar election bill.

Well, until now, that is.

chickelit said...

Well, until now, that is.

Yeah, I think that move kinda takes the piss out of Prop 19.

Many Brown voters will now stay home.

Cedarford said...

Cyrus Pinkerton said...
Deport them both... Allred to Israel.

I don't know why anyone tolerates Cedarford's disgusting comments.
===================
In fairness to Israel, Pinky, I mentioned they may not want her either. And shouldn't be forced to take her. Why inflict her on Israel?
I prefer she is deported to Afghanistan.
Besides, it would be hard for Allred to find gainful work in Israel. Israel vaulted past the USA in lawyers per capita sometime in the 1970s. We led before. Currently, we are number 2 with one lawyer per every 277 people, while Israel has one for every 197 people.

Anonymous said...

In fairness to Israel, Pinky, I mentioned they may not want her either.

Israel has no choice; all Jews are citizens of Israel.

Trooper York said...

Not true.

They wouldn't let Meyer Lansky in and he is much less a criminal than this nasty twat.

Just sayn'

Trooper York said...

Welcome back Cyrus.

I look forward to you and Ritmo having a contest.

It will be very interesting.

Chase said...

The interview of Allred stands on its own - Gloria lost big time embarrassing herself and showed she cannot stand anything close to the truth. Hewitt's political preferences have absolutely nothing to do with it. She refused to honestly answer the question everyone wants answered. She melted.

that just makes him another one of the right wing radio clowns.

Irrelevant to the answering of the question.

That's the best you got? Please give me your contact info because I see that you are an easy mark for losing lawsuits, and I could use the money to blow on trips to Italy.

Trooper York said...

Although I must admit I have been really enjoying when Cryus posts as America's Politico.

That stuff is great.

Anonymous said...

They wouldn't let Meyer Lansky in...

Yes they did (re: Law of Return). He lived in Israel for about two years. But not without controversy because of his criminal connections. He was eventually forced to leave, IMO on rather flimsy legal grounds.

And my opinion was vindicated when the American courts subsequently failed to convict Lansky... of anything.

Trooper York said...

But the point was that they threw him out and he ended up getting shot in the airport by Roco Lampone.

Trooper York said...

Meyer's greatest regret wasn't that Israel deported him.

It was that he never married Robyn Bryd.

Anonymous said...

I suspect anti-Semite Rick Sanchez was behind Meyer Lansky's eventual deportation from Israel.

But that still doesn't explain why CNN just deported Rick Sanchez.

Well, life is complex, I guess.

Anonymous said...

...

But I do think that Contessa Brewer and Rick Sanchez would make a wonderful couple.

Unknown said...

One word! "Whore" Oh, and let's not forget that she helped Tiger Woods' whores extort $ millions from him, too!

furious_a said...

"They got rid of the uber-competent Gray Davis for the star power of Arnold "

The "uber-competent" Gray Davis was the governor who in 1999 locked in the ruinous pension payout escalators for the prison guards' and teachers' unions as payoff for their contrib...er, campaign support.

For which California is just now
reaping the whirlwind.

Ditto "if Californians choose Jerry
Brown they desever whatever happens
to them." And be g*d*mned if my more soberly-governed home-state
will be assessed to bail out
California (or any other State
beggared by its public sector
employee unions) for its willful and knowing fiscal mismanagement.