Race for U.S. Senate

Re “Huffington Admits Fault in Hiring Illegal Immigrant,” Oct. 28:

Mike Huffington is asking for our understanding in the matter of his family’s little five-year-long “mistake” in employing an illegal immigrant for child care. We understand all right, Mr. Huffington. You are eager to leap on the political bandwagon to deny illegals health care and education, but you have been quite willing to profit personally from paying their rock-bottom wages. The only reason illegal immigration has been allowed to continue unabated is because many businesses and well-off families reap considerable benefit from this arrangement. The ones who pay for it are the workers who are displaced and the taxpayers who foot the bill for increased unemployment and poverty.

I hope voters realize the full extent of Huffington’s hypocrisy when he endorses Proposition 187 as a remedy to the problems associated with illegal immigration. The fact is that Proposition 187 would do little to stop the use and exploitation of illegals--it would just squeeze further those at the bottom of the economic and social ladder.

GRACE BERTALOT

Anaheim

* What a difference in the two candidates for the U.S. Senate from California!

When Dianne Feinstein was asked about casting votes which greatly affected the income of a company primarily owned by Richard Blum (her husband), all she did was deny, deny, deny (Oct. 26).

When Huffington was asked about the employment of an undocumented alien, he not only confirmed that it was true, but apologized for his and his wife’s error.

We appreciate the truth, Mr. Huffington, and I firmly believe that it will be strongly remembered by the voters on Nov. 8.

MARGE IVY

Tujunga

* Huffington sobs, “Who among us hasn’t rolled through a stop sign?” Yes, but who among us is trying to deport and dehumanize people who roll through stop signs? Who is trying to get elected on a platform of denying health services and education to people who roll through stop signs?

PAMELA PETTLER

Los Angeles

* How fitting that Huffington is undone by an “illegal alien.” Justice is served.

JOHN A. ECHEVESTE

Temple City

* What scares me most about Huffington is that California has a history of sending vegetables to the Senate. Recall George Murphy and S. I. Hayakawa, whose incompetence and inaction cost California hundreds of billions while effective, hard-working senators from far smaller states grabbed a disproportionate share of federal spending.

Huffington defends his congressional inaction as opposition to big government. But the way to make government smaller is to introduce bills to make government smaller, such as Clinton’s deficit reduction act which has pared the federal work force to its smallest size since the Kennedy Administration.

With the feds controlling one-third of GNP, California’s collective interests demand an effective legislator in the Senate, not hobbyist Huffington.

DAVE QUICK

Santa Monica

* Huffington states that among his motives for wanting to become a senator is a desire to “give something back” (interview, Opinion, Oct. 30). May I suggest that the state of California would be better served were Huffington to do so on a graffiti cleanup team, or by volunteering in an elementary school populated by the children of working-poor immigrants, legal or otherwise. If only Huffington had taken the $27 million he’s spent so far on his campaign and donated it for education, or medical care for the poor. That would be giving something back. If it turns out that this neophyte, know-nothing, rich boy is actually able to buy himself a Senate seat, I think I will need to take a bromo and lie down.

JAMES CHACON

Los Angeles

* Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan’s endorsement of Dianne Feinstein in the Senate race (Oct. 31) is as sad as it is telling. Anyone that thinks this is a blow to the Huffington campaign needs only to realize that Riordan has made a very loud statement, in favor of Huffington. Huffington opposes bigger government, confiscatory taxation and handouts to illegal aliens.

Riordan’s treasonous support for the opposition only makes himself less trustworthy. A man of true character would first change his party allegiance before he stood with his foe.

As Riordan laps at the incumbent Democrat for a handful of rice, it’s not hard to see whose ship is actually sinking.

KENNETH R. MACK

Westminster